Parish Clerk & Responsible Financial Officer
Katie Walding
Katie Walding has been the Clerk to Sway Parish Council since October 2017. She holds the Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) and is a Principal of the Society of Local Council Clerks. Outside of work, Katie is a keen runner and a practising commoner with a small herd of New Forest ponies.
Parish Councillors
Howard Millett (Chair)
07846 557588
Nicky Bowler (Deputy Chair)
07968 864508
Mike Butler
07491 142839
I’m Mike Butler, and I moved to Sway in 2020 after hearing it is a friendly and welcoming village that is really well located right on the forest edge for walks and cycles, and close to the sea – the best of both worlds. Since moving here it has certainly met and even exceeded my hopes and expectations! For many years I have wanted to get involved in my local community but have been time restricted through a combination of children growing up, full time work, commuting, and general life. Now that I am semi-retired I have more time to support local community initiatives. I have joined the local tennis club (you may see me cycling down Brighton Road with tennis racket in tow) and the Lymington Town Sailing Club. Once established as a Sway resident next on my list was the Parish Council.I have joined the local tennis club (you may see me cycling down Brighton Road with tennis racket in tow) and the Lymington Town Sailing Club. Once established as a Sway resident next on my list was the Parish Council.
Peter Dance
Emma Monk (Deputy Chair)
07967 114063
I joined the Council in November 2020, in the midst of the worst days of Covid. I didn't get to meet my fellow councillors in real life until the summer of 2021! I've lived in Sway since 2007, when I moved here, pregnant and with a toddler in tow. Sixteen years on, my children are growing up and moving on. As one of life's natural volunteers, I did 5 years on the Little Flyers' committee, 7 years on the PTA at St Luke's and just ended 10 years on the Junior Football Club committee. And now I'm 3 years into being a Parish councillor! My council interests are planning (I'm chair of the Planning and Trees Committee), and looking at the "people" objectives of the Council. I was heavily involved in setting up the Community Hub (formally the Warm Space), of which I'm hugely proud, and continue to volunteer there regularly. I'm also really looking forward to helping out at the new Youth Club.
Neil McLocklin
07715 475135
I joined the Parish Council as I am keen to support and add value to the community. Since I moved to the village I have been a Sway football manager and coach (6 years) and a member of both Sway Junior Football Club Committee (5 years) and Jubilee Field User Group (4 years – 2 years as chair). In this capacity, amongst other things, I managed to secure a grant in excess of £20k for maintenance of Jubilee Field pitches. My football team players are now all over 16 and so no longer able to play for the Junior Club, and so I have spare time to commit back to the community. I have a background in real estate and management consultancy which I believe may also be good competences to bring to the Parish Council.
Alex Pepper
07752 388227
I'm Alex Pepper. We moved to the village from Hordle in 2014 where I was also on the Parish Council and involved with various projects including several to enhance the public open space areas, such as Dudley Avenue. I've been involved with various committees and working groups during the past six years. My motivation to join the Council is to try and help ensure our village has what it needs and access to the right facilities and amenities, some of which might be provided by others. I am particularly interested in supporting our village shops and businesses, the railway station, public open spaces and green spaces.
Sandy Reakes
07720 136495
Hi, I'm Sandy and I moved to the village two years ago with my husband and two children. I enjoy spending time with them, walking, BBQs and days out, but I also love meeting new people and helping out. I started volunteering in the Sway Community Hub for this reason and have loved getting to know people in and around the village. I have seen the positive impact this service has had in the community and have enjoyed being part of it. I love a good challenge and having something to work towards which has led me to now become a Sway Parish Councillor. In particular I am interested in finding activities for the young people of Sway to enjoy. I am also a member of the Planning and Trees Committee.
Helen Schneider
07952 881426
I grew up near Ringwood and so consider myself one of the 'children of the New Forest'. As such, I feel immensely privileged to have spent my childhood and teenage years here, and even more so to have had the privilege of returning after so many years away. Of course there have been many changes over that time with increased tourism, in-migration and population growth. Whilst positive in many ways these trends also increase the pressure on the local areas and its facilities. Affordable housing and sustainable transport are of particular interest to me, alongside my passion for wildlife conservation which I maintain through voluntary work in the Forest, principally monitoring bird populations. I am a trustee of The Hampshire Ornithological Society, promoting the engagement of young people in bird watching which to date has been dominated by middle aged, middle class men! I am keen to promote equality, diversity and inclusion [EDI] through trying to ensure equal access to opportunities and services across the community.
Ted Watts
07889 180546
My wife Iris and I arrived in Sway 22 years ago, and were immediately struck by the friendliness of the commuity. We have both served as editors of Sway News, and I have been involved in Sway Youth Centre Ltd which has charitable status, both as treasurer and chairman. In 2013 I was asked by the Parish Council to be the convenor of the group that produced the draft of the Sway Design Statement that was adopted as guidance for future developments. I am too long in the tooth to be a councillor but stood to make up the number of candidates to 8, ensuring that the Council retained its competence to transact actively its business. Now I intend to assist the Council to do things that serve the community. My interests are, communicating to our villagers the importance of their involvement to maintain Sway's community and interest groups, and I fear that we are letting down our younger teenagers, and will support initiatives that engage and interest them.
Representations of Councillors
Planning & Trees Committee: Cllrs Emma Monk, Peter Dance, Howard Millett, Sandy Reakes, Helen Schneider (Reserve: Nicky Bowler)
HR Committee: Cllrs Nicky Bowler (Chair), Stephen Tarling, Howard Millett
EcoSway: Cllrs Nicky Bowler, Alex Pepper, Helen Schneider
Newsletter Editor: Chris Davis
Community Speedwatch: Mr Hugh Marchant
Tree Representative: Cllr Howard Millett
Rights of Way: Cllr Mike Butler, Susana Fernandez Suarez
Allotment Association: Cllr Susana Fernandez Suarez
Jubilee Field User Group: Cllrs Nicky Bowler, Alex Pepper
Sway Village Hall Committee: Cllr Nicky Bowler
Sway Youth Centre: Cllrs Emma Monk, Ted Watts, Susana Fernandez Suarez
Sway Welfare Aid Group: Cllr Alex Pepper
(NFALC) New Forest Association of Local Councils: Cllr Peter Dance
(HALC) Hampshire Association of Local Councils: Cllr Peter Dance
NFNPA SW Quadrant: tba (Cllr Stephen Tarling, Chair)
New Forest Consultative Panel: Cllr Susana Fernandez Suarez
Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP): Cllr Susana Fernandez Suarez
Community Rail Partnership: Cllr Howard Millett
Who to contact to get things done
Forest Animals www.verderers.org.uk
- In the event of a road traffic accident involving an animal: phone 999 (non-emergency 101)
- Sick, injured or distressed pony, cow, donkey, pig or sheep (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm): (other than one involved in a RTA), phone the Verderers on 02380 282052 www.verderers.org.uk
- Sick, injured or distressed pony, cow, donkey, pig or sheep (24hrs): phone the Forestry Commission on 0300 067 4600 or www.forestry.gov.uk/newforest
New Forest National Park Authority www.newforestnpa.gov.uk
- Planning applications and permission: phone the Duty Planning Officer on 01590 646615 or http://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/planning/
- Trees: phone 01590 646620 or http://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/planning_category/tree-work-applications/
- Planning enforcement: phone 01590 646626 or http://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/planning_category/report-a-planning-breach/
If you want to see any planning applications in person you can visit the NFNPA offices at Lymington Town Hall; or for recent Sway applications please arrange to view with the Clerk.
Hampshire County Council www.hants.gov.uk/
- Road problems inc. potholes, traffic lights & signs, pavements, trees, hedges, drains, flooding: phone on 0300 555 1388 - 8.30am to 5pm or www.hants.gov.uk/transport/roadmaintenance/roadproblems (Please note: that although some Sway residents have had more success using the website www.fixmystreet.com/HCC Highways do appreciate a direct approach to their site first because then they get a precise location. For issues of roadside ditches and hedges the name and address of the landowner is also helpful.)
- Faulty streetlights: phone 0800 048 2437 or www.lightsoninhampshire.co.uk/Public/ReportFault.aspx
- Rights of Way: phone 0300 555 1391 for access and other issues on footpaths and bridleways (not roads, pavements or alleyways) or www.hants.gov.uk/landplanningandenvironment/rightsofway/reportaproblem
New Forest District Council www.newforest.gov.uk or phone 023 8028 5000
- Flytipping and Abandoned vehicles: http://www.newforest.gov.uk/article/17662/Enviro-Crime
- Reporting dead animals: http://www.newforest.gov.uk/article/4165/Reporting-a-dead-animal
- Recycling, rubbish and waste: http://www.newforest.gov.uk/recyclingandrubbish
Trains http://tinyurl.com/cwoznyn
- Phone 0845 6000 650 (option 4); or 01590 682338 Mon-Fri 06:35-10:00 for Sway Station ticket office
POLICE Sway is in the 'New Forest West' area.
- Phone 999 in an emergency
- Phone 101 for non urgent enquiries and reports
- To report a crime online, please click: https://www.hampshire.police.uk, click 'Report' and select the type of crime to report.
(You can also use 'Tell us about' for a selection of other alternatives)
The nearest police station is Lymington Police Office, New Forest District Council Offices, Avenue Road, Lymington SO41 9ZG
Closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day
