Header

Background

I was born in Tottenham, London on 24th May 1939, just a few months before the outbreak of World War II. I was evacuated from London to Hove because of the 1940 Blitz. In 1942 we were bombed out of that house. The existence of a Morrison shelter in the kitchen proved the difference between life and death for all four members of the family. That event caused a move to another house nearby.

Education started in private school until my father died in 1948. After that, state junior school followed in Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammer School. After leaving school I was apprenticed as a compositor in the printing trade until 1960. In addition, during this time I was involved in policing as a Special Constable from age 18. This subsequently led to acceptance in the British Colonial Police Force in 1961 where I was posted to Nyasaland in Central Africa.

Me in UniformBritain's "Withdrawal from Empire" in the 1960's led to the end of that potential career and in 1964 I moved to the Rhodesian police force -the BSAPolice. Subsequent service involvements included two years of specialist counter insurgency work in Support Unit, followed by an assortment of postings as Member-in-Charge of police stations small and large.

I Married Paula in 1971, who gave birth firstly to a daughter, Jenny, in 1973 and secondly to son, John, in 1977.

Anti-terrorist PatrolI became leader of the police anti-terrorist units and a SWAT team, and was eventually promoted to Superintendent in 1980 - the year that brought majority and one-party political rule to the newly formed Zimbabwe. I was awarded a Commissioner's Commendation for Dedication to Duty for my part in negotiating with and bringing in peacefully several hundred dissident terrorists. Following independence I was selected and trained as Police Training Commander. I declined an invitation to join the ruling ZANU PF political party, despite warnings that refusal would hinder future promotion.

My days in AfricaI continued serving as Training Commander and Special Investigator until 1983 when it became proper to open a murder investigation into the deaths of 23 unarmed civilians shot dead by elements of the Zimbabwe National Army. I was subsequently required to hand the completed dockets over to Canaan Banana, the then president, 'for study and decision', after which the dockets disappeared and a series of life threatening incidents began to occur. During this time I was cautioned that elements of the Zimbabwe National Army had placed a price on my head. I was advised to leave the country for my own safety and that of my family, because even the government ministers I was friendly with could not guarantee our survival in the face of the hostility from National Army commanders.

In 1984 I arrived back in the UK with my family with just £420 in my pocket where I received no real assistance at all from the UK government. I spent the next two years unsuccessfully seeking work via registration on the Professional and Executive Register.

Recent PictureDuring 1987 I commenced graduate level training courses in management at NEWI Wrexham and Wirral Metropolitan College, Eastham, on the Wirral. I also undertook an RSA Level II IT course at ITEC in Wrexham.


I moved my family to Buckley in 1988 and have been here ever since, working as a Security Consultant and Management Consultant and then running my own security guarding business from 1995 until 2004.

 

Political Involvements

My political involvements began when I was co-opted on to Buckley Town Council to fill a sudden vacancy in 1994. I was then elected as a Labour Party Town Councilor in 1995 which led to involvements with the Voluntary Sector and appointment as a school governor.

In 1998, whilst Chair of the Planning Committee for Buckley Town Council, I began to have serious concerns over the adverse effects on local and global environment arising from the plans for the co-incinerating new Kiln 4 at Padeswood Cement Works. Chairmanship of CANK, the Campaign Against the New Kiln, which is still ongoing, followed. Membership of GAIA, the Global Alternative to Incineration Alliance, followed from that.


I was elected mayor of Buckley in 2002-2003, but by then I became seriously concerned over the Labour Party's attitude towards environment and dangerous drugs. When the party advised its intention to downgrade cannabis I wrote to them warning that if it was done I would leave the party. When cannabis was downgraded I resigned form the Labour Party and became an Independent Town Councillor.

In 2004 I formally retired, only to be asked to stand as Independent County Councillor by residents of Bistre East Ward. In the 2004 elections, standing as an Independent Candidate , I won seats at both Town and County level, and became a member of the Independent Alliance.

 

Having been successful in my re-election campaign for 1st May, 2008, I now find myself elected as Leader of Flintshire County Council.

My Personal Political Philosophy

  1. Power should belong to the People, not any cabal, clique, political party, or worse still, shadowy figures lurking in the corridors of democratic power.
  2. Those who accept public political office, at any level, should be prepared to accept the need for accountability for their actions, their decisions, their successes and their failures.
  3. Decisions and doings of government, at all levels, should, commensurate with REAL security needs, be undertaken in a transparent and open a manner.
  4. Local affairs should be decided, as far as reasonably possible, by the democratically indicated wish of the majority of residents within any local authority area, as close to the point of impact of the decision as is practicable.
  5. Sustainable local communities are fundamental to the well being of the nation.
  6. Good neighbours are the best medicine for many of society’s ills.
  7. In matters of education, the attainment of small class sizes should be regarded as more important than closing schools on grounds of too few pupils to fill existing places.
  8. In matters of health services or the provision of essential medicines, postcode lotteries should not exist.
  9. In matters of housing, while everyone is entitled to an affordable roof over their head, I believe that the truly vulnerable and needy, through whatever cause, should merit priority support to enable them to reach a self-sustainable standard of living through their own endeavours.
  10. I will never again allow myself to be used as an instrument of propaganda to be passed from distant centres downwards to local residents, as I was required to do as a member of a formal political party.
  11. I will work for the good of the community that I represent, alongside those of all, any, or no particular political party persuasion, in the interests of the common good of those who kindly elected me and others to office.
  12. Although I will always do my best in the interests of the community at large and any individual members of it who seek my help, I cannot guarantee to satisfy everyone all of the time. However, where any disappointment occurs, I will make sure that you know the reasons why.

Voluntary involvements on behalf of the community

 

Back to top

 

Home | Blog | News | Biography | Independent Alliance
Contact Arnold Woolley | Site Map
Local Affairs | Useful Links