Neil Butters
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Published on Monday 9th January 2012 by Bathavon South Lib Dems
Neil Butters was elected Chairman of Bath & North East Somerset Council (B&NES) on 16th May 2013. (He had previously been elected Vice-Chairman on 10th May 2012, and Chairman-elect on 19th February 2013.) He has been a Member since 3rd May 2007.
Neil represents Bathavon South ward which includes the villages of Freshford, Hinton Charterhouse, Midford (most of), Monkton Combe, Shoscombe, South Stoke - where he lives, and Wellow. He is a member of the Liberal Democrat Party, and has lived here since 2004. Previously, he had served as a Thamesdown/Swindon [from 1997] Borough councillor (St Margaret Ward: 1982-86, and Lawns Ward: 1995-2000) for a total of nine years; he also served for 12 years as a parish councillor (Wanborough and Covingham Parish Councils - 1976-88). He was Chairman of Wanborough Parish Council in 1980-81, and the first-ever Chairman of Covingham Parish Council, when it was established independently from Wanborough, in 1983-4. He was the only Liberal/Liberal Democrat to represent St Margaret Ward, and the first non-Conservative - after many years of contests - to represent Lawns Ward.
B&NES is a unitary authority - ie: it covers the functions of both a district and a county council, including planning, transportation, social services and education. Neil publicises his activities as a councillor through the FOCUS newsletter. In addition however he communicates with large numbers of people in his ward through e-mail, sending out items of interest on an almost daily basis. If you live in the ward, are interested in local news, and would like to be added to this list please write to him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
He frequently attends local parish council meetings, when time permits. "It is good to see first-hand what goes on in your ward if you want to help your residents", Neil says.
His role includes the Chairmanship of the Parishes Liaison Committee.
He also takes a special interest in all rail matters, on behalf of Cllr Caroline Roberts (Cabinet Member for Transport).
Outside appointments on behalf of Council:
* Local Government Group Rural Commission
* Somer Valley Partnership
* World Heritage Enhancement Fund Committee.
By profession, Neil was a career railway manager until his retirement on 31st March 2013 - having worked at almost all levels of the industry, in various locations. He began with a holiday job at Kensington Olympia in 1966 (Motorail services). In 1970, after various other jobs - in London and Birmingham - whilst a student, he joined full-time as a Traffic Management Trainee at Bristol - the only one in BR Western Region's West of England Division (Penzance to Bromsgrove/Swindon). His many subsequent jobs have included: Assistant Area Manager at Swindon; TOPS (Total Operations Processing - computer - System) national implementation team - and, later, Western Region manager; Western Region Management Services Assistant (based Reading); Personnel Research, Policy Unit, British Railways Board; Management Development & Training Officer, Freightliner; Overseas/Senior Training Consultant, Transmark; Development/Commercial Manager and Deputy Head, The Grove Management Centre, Watford (now a five-star hotel); and Heritage Officer for the British Railways Board.
He attended Magdalen College School, Brackley, Northamptonshire - then a state boarding Grammar school.
He holds a London University BA in Psychology, Law & Economics - for which he studied externally at Portsmouth College of Technology (now University), a post-graduate Diploma in Personnel Management from the University of Aston in Birmingham - for which he was awarded an SSRC Bursary, and an MBA in Business Development from City University Business School. He is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (FCILT) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA). He also holds a Cambridge University CELTA Certificate (English Language Teaching - Adults), for which he studied at Bath College; and a University Certificate from the University of Bath. At Portsmouth, he became President of the Psychology Society, Treasurer and then Secretary of the Liberal Society, and a member of the Cultural Committee.
He has also served on a number of secondments - to a local enterprise agency: Assistant Director, Bath Enterprise Ltd, Green Park Station; a university: MSc Transport & Logistics Management Programme Director and Visiting Fellow, Salford; a professional institution: PA to President, Chartered Institute of Transport; and the Corporation of Lloyd's: Recruitment Consultant.
He has served as an External Examiner for both Middlesex and Kingston Universities; and as a Governor of Dorcan School - Swindon, and Ralph Allen School - Bath.
He served as Chairman of the Old Town Festival in Swindon during 2003-4, immediately prior to his move to Bath - providing entertainment, and raising money for charity.
From 1998 to 2013 he served as Secretary to the (Great Britain-wide) Railway Heritage Committee, a statutory body sponsored by the Department for Transport. (The Railway Heritage Committe has now been superseded by the Railway Heritage Designation Advisory Board, reporting to the Trustees of the Science Museum Group.) From 2006, he worked (full-time) partly from home and partly from an office in Bristol - Temple Quay House, also the headquarters of the Planning Inspectorate. [Note that the role of the Railway Heritage Committee was to 'designate' significant railway records and moveable artefacts - anything from a painting to a High Speed Train - and ensure their long-term preservation. It was not to be confused with the Railway Heritage Trust, which deals with buildings and other structures.]
Since 2011 he has served as an Officer of the Heritage Railway Association - and, as such, was appointed one of two Co-secretaries of a new All Party Parliamentary Group on Heritage Rail.
In 1993, he produced and published a Historical Transport Map of Wiltshire - still sold at STEAM Museum, Swindon.
His first wife Sheila died in 2002. He married his present wife Charlotte Moore, a local artist (studied at Chelsea and Falmouth Colleges of Art), in 2005 at the Roman Baths. Charlotte, who exhibits regularly and is a member of the Bath Society of Artists, painted three of King Bladud's pigs for 2008, a baby elephant for London's 2010 'Elephant Parade', a lion for the 'Lions of Bath' 2010, and a swan for 'Swans of Wells' 2012http://www.swansofwells.com/p/inspiration.html.
Charlotte and Neil are both qualified Teachers of English as a Foreign Language, working through Living Leaving English. Neil has little time for teaching himself these days, but helps as best he can - especially with Business English.
Neil and Charlotte (who was born in Brisbane, Australia, and also came to England at two years' old - see below) have five children between them, all grown-up.
His particular interests locally are similar to those of his well-known predecessor Gitte Dawson MBE:
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keeping our villages alive - encouraging local shops, pubs, post offices, and other important facilities
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fighting off inappropriate development
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getting traffic calming and speed limits
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safeguarding and promoting public transport
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promoting good-quality markets
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pressing for sustainable decisions in whatever the Council does.
Neil is always keen to hear from residents - with problems he might help you solve, or just suggestions as to how things could be done better. He, with help from Gitte and others, publishes a local newsletter - FOCUS (see above) - to keep residents informed. If you would like to read the latest one, you may download it from the bottom of this page. If you could help deliver FOCUS in your road, Neil would be very pleased to hear from you.
