SOUTHWOLD HARBOUR LANDS TRUST

Appointed Members

Southwold Town Council has now appointed the eight people who will form the Southwold Harbour Lands Trust which will receive back from Waveney District Council the freehold of Southwold Harbour, its associated car parks and the adjacent caravan and camping site.  The eight trustees are Cllr Susan Allen, Andrew Blois, Alan Davies, Simon Flunder, Brian Haward, Robert Lee, Mark Sargeantson and David Webb.

As a Town Councillor and a District Councillor and later as Chairman of the Blyth Estuary Group, Cllr Susan Allen has been involved in the repatriation of the Harbour Undertaking from WDC to local control since 2003, when she was Town Mayor, endeavouring to find a solution that would be beneficial to Southwold and the local community.  Through those and other committees she has contacts with people and organisations involved in the planning of the future of the harbour and estuary and the associated shoreline.  Having lived in most of the villages around the estuary and with her knowledge of the working and problems of the Harbour Undertaking, Cllr Allen feels she is able to offer this experience to the Trust.

Andrew Blois is a local landowner and businessman and brings his land management skills to the team.  As part of his role in managing the family estate he has run and developed a caravan park.  Outside his business interests he is an active member of the Blyth Estuary Group and is Vice Chairman of the Suffolk Branch of the CLA (Country Land & Business Association).  He is also an occasional river user with experience of operating a variety of craft both under power and sail, he has even sailed across the Atlantic!

Alan Davies was educated overseas before joining the Merchant Navy as a Navigating Officer.  He then qualified in Norwich as a Chartered Accountant and later, after obtaining an MSc in Business Studies worked overseas with a multi-national company.  On his return to the UK he worked for the Cabinet Office in senior financial and general management roles with an emphasis on liaising with Government Departments and Ministers.  He moved to Southwold 10 years ago and his current interests include golf, fishing and enjoying this beautiful part of the country.

Simon Flunder is 56 years old, married with 3 grown up children and has been associated with Southwold for over 50 years.  He recently resigned after 25 years from an operational role in the automotive industry, which involved managing plants in the UK, Brazil, China and India.  He is now Chairman of the UK Group, acting as a Trustee for its Pension Fund.  He is looking forward to the opportunity of improving the Harbour and maintaining its facilities.

Brian Haward Chartered and Registered Architect, Accredited in Building Conservation, established his private practice in Southwold in 1968.  The practice supports employment for five local people. Brian has a son and daughter who both live locally.  Apart from running a busy practice he has a wide range of interests ranging through local history, outdoor activities, poetry, music and drawing.

Robert (Bob) Lee is a qualified registered Marine Engineer, and sailed in the UK fleet for 15 years prior to moving to Southwold to join Adnams Brewery as Chief Engineer in 1985, taking early retirement in 2009.  He is experienced in managing major capital projects from concept to commissioning, managing a number of departments with full financial and budgetary control, developing staff and implementing health & safety/environmental procedures.  He is also a Trustee of the Southwold Trust and the Adnams Pension Trust.

Mark Sargeantson is a chartered surveyor with nearly 30 years experience in the property market in London, the south east and East Anglia.  He has particular expertise in relation to landlord and tenant, valuation, development and agency work across all sectors of the property market.  Married with three children, Mark lives near Woodbridge and through walking and sailing has developed a knowledge and love of Southwold and the Suffolk coast.

David Webb was born in Walberswick and attended Sir John Leman School, Beccles.  He specialised as a Hydrographic Surveyor in the Royal Navy, and commanded five H.M. Surveying Ships involved in hydrographic and oceanographic surveys in various parts of the globe.  On retirement from the Royal Navy he worked for the Environment Agency as “Team Leader of the Medway Navigation” before returning to Suffolk to work part time in the visitor and public relations office at Sizewell “A” power station.  He is currently a Walberswick Parish Councillor, a Trustee of Walberswick Common Lands Charity and a member of both the Blyth Estuary Group and the Walberswick Sea Defence Group.