The Mayor was a Conservative councillor of Winchester City Council from May 1976 until May 1990, and Chair of the Amenities Committee for 6 years, then Vice Chair and chair of Policy and Resources. She was re-elected to the council in May 1992 as an Independent member, until the present day. She is Leader of the Independent Group.

She is a partner, with her son, in their own small business breeding chinchillas, and manufacturing and supplying chinchilla cages to the pet trade.

She is a member of the League of Friends of Bishops Waltham House, a member of the Royal British Legion, a member of the Friends of St Peter’s Parish Church in Bishops Waltham, a member of the National Chinchilla Society, and a member of the Bishops Waltham Society.

Charles Leslie

A graduate of The University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (BA Politics & History), Charles has over twenty years experience of local government both at a local and a national level. During that time he has worked with and advised local authorities on a range of issues including Compulsory Competitive Tendering, Environmental issues and Management and Organisational Development. From 1994-99 he headed the Central Research unit of the Local Government Management Board, before transferring into the IDeA.

He has worked on the Beacon Council Scheme since its inception in early 1999. As consultant in the IDeA’s Beacon Councils Support unit he was lead officer for the Waste Management Beacons and was appointed Head of the unit in November 2000. He was involved in the assessment process that led to Project Integra being awarded Beacon status and so is well placed to talk about why it is a "Beacon for Waste".

Councillor Alex Varden

Alex is a retired bank manager who was a district councillor for 4 years before becoming a Hampshire County Councillor for the past 16 years, including the last 4 years with the responsibility for waste management.

Jennie Price

Chief Executive of WRAP ( the Waste and Resources Action Programme).

WRAP is a new organisation being established with substantial funding from Government to promote sustainable waste management. Its particular focus is on the creation of stable and efficient markets for recyclable materials and products.

Prior to her appointment as WRAP’s Chief Executive, she was Chief Executive of the Construction Confederation, one of the major representative bodies for the UK’s construction industry, comprising over 5,000 construction companies of all types and sizes. A barrister by training, Jennie has spent over 15 years undertaking legal and public affairs work on behalf of the construction industry.

She has also lectured widely on construction related matters and has written two text books on construction law.

Professor Judith Petts.

Professor of Environmental Risk Management and Deputy Director of the Centre for Environmental Research & Training, University of Birmingham.

18 years applied research and advisory work on environmental risk management with particular focus on waste management and contaminated land. Particular interests in local decision making, public perceptions of risks and public engagement in waste management decisions. Over 70 publications in the subject including book on EIA for Waste Treatment and Disposal Facilities. Advisory work for UK government departments and also international organisations including UNEP.