Councillor Simon Speller is our new Mayor of Stevenage

Councillor Speller took over from the outgoing Mayor, Councillor Brian Underwood, at an official ceremony on Tuesday, 23 May.

Born in Devon in 1950, Simon’s early years were spent in Lagos, Nigeria where his family lived until independence in the early 1960s.

On returning to England he attended Exeter School before studying Sociology at Bedford College, London University and Urban Planning at Oxford Polytechnic.

While at Bedford College Simon met his wife Bridy and they married in 1973. They have four children (Rachel, Rob, James and Sam) and one granddaughter (Ashleigh). Bridy is Manager of the NCH action for Children Family Support Service in the Old Town.

After five years of working for West Sussex County Council, Simon and his family moved to Stevenage in 1978, where he took up a job in the Council’s Planning Department.  The family lived in Chells from 1978 until 1984, when they moved to Shephall.

Simon was elected onto Stevenage Borough Council in 1995. He has been Executive Councillor for Environment, held the Performance and Improvement portfolio and served on the Planning Committee and Stevenage Sports Council.

Simon is a keen sportsman and has competed in hockey, athletics, cross-country and cycling.  He was the Hertfordshire 10,000 metres champion in 1979 and ran an impressive two hours, 38 minutes in the 1984 Stevenage marathon. In 2003, Simon completed the famous Paris-Brest-Paris 1250 kilometre cycle event within the
90-hour time limit.

Councillor Simon Speller says of his year ahead as Mayor: “I am really looking forward to an exciting year, which includes the Diamond Anniversary of the New Town in November. During my mayoral year I will be looking to promote ‘sport for all’, to encourage everybody to get fit and enjoy an active lifestyle. We’ve got a great record in Stevenage of producing sporting champions, and we must help develop the champions of the future, especially with the London Olympic Games in 2012 coming up.”

Simon Speller’s Mayoral Charities for 2006/07 are: Sue Ryder Care, The Garden House Hospice for Stevenage and North Herts, Stevenage Community Trust, the Cyclists’ Touring Club, the Mentoring Basketball Academy Association and Stevenage Districts Scouts.