Features
Meet the Mayor
On Monday 18 May 2009, Cllr Tina Liddington was elected as Woking Borough's 36th Mayor at the official Mayor-making ceremony which took place at the Civic Offices during the Annual Meeting of Woking Borough Council. In this article, we find out more about the Knaphill resident who, in her twenties, almost decided to swap England for Israel.
Our new Mayor has had links with this area since she was ten years old when her father instigated the move from Devon to take up the job of green keeper at New Zealand Golf Club in Woodham. She attended West Byfleet Junior and then Fulbrook School where a period of work experience awakened a desire to care for others. In the late seventies, she began work at Botleys Park Hospital in Chertsey where she took up the role of care assistant, working with people with learning disabilities. "I thoroughly enjoyed the role - it was both challenging and rewarding - and I decided to knuckle down and study to become a registered nurse," she said.
But despite following her vocation, Cllr Liddington began to get itchy feet after five years' service and she set off for a European adventure which culminated in an impromptu visit to Israel! The break from her Surrey life really opened her eyes as she explains: "Those months really were the making of me - I grew in confidence and learnt a lot about different people and cultures. I made several trips to the country and, at one point, I fully intended to stay, but family commitments called me back and the moment passed."
In 1986, Cllr Liddington returned to her work at Botleys Park Hospital and settled down in Knaphill. She has lived within this ward ever since, a decision about which she has no regrets: "Woking is a great Borough with lots going on. Generally speaking, our people live peacefully together and we all benefit from a pleasant environment in which to live and work."
In 2000, she was approached to stand as Councillor but family commitments lead her to politely decline. However, when news of a by-election in Hermitage and Knaphill South reached her in 2002 she decided to go for it, keen to be the voice to represent local people. Her campaign was successful and, since then, she has won two more elections and has sat on a range of Council committees including the Planning Committee and Overview and Scrutiny.
But according to Cllr Liddington, becoming a Mayor is an unquestionable highlight: "I was both surprised and delighted to be asked to take up the Mayoral mantle - it is a huge honour and I am very much looking forward to meeting the hundreds of people who work so hard to build and maintain our local communities. I have enormous admiration for people who volunteer - without them I think the country would come to a standstill!"
Not surprisingly, given Cllr Liddington's career in caring for people with learning disabilities, one of her charities for the year is Link Leisure. She also intends to support the Woking Branch of the Alzheimer's Society, which will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and the Community Action Fund which was set up by Cllr Bryan Cross when he was Mayor two years ago. Speaking about her chosen charities, she said: "They really do a smashing job to support some of the most vulnerable people in the community. I hope to be able to support them and help to raise awareness of their important work so that they can continue to make a positive contribution to so many people's lives."
During the Mayoral year, Cllr Liddington will be supported by her partner, Steve, who will assume the role of Mayor's Consort, escorting her to a wide range of events and functions. She will also have the full backing of her twenty-year old son, James, who is currently studying criminology and sociology at Leeds Metropolitan University.
So what is Cllr Liddington looking forward to most about becoming Mayor? "I am really looking forward to meeting local residents of all ages and talking to them about their lives. I am especially looking forward to representing the Borough at the Queen's Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. As well as being escorted by Steve and my son James, I have been given permission to take my Mum, Shirley, who is a huge royalist - this trip will be one of the highlights of her life!"
