County Council elects new Chairman

Added: 15/05/2008
Category: Norfolk County Council

Wyndham Northam, member for Mundesley, was formally elected as Chairman at Norfolk County Council's annual full council meeting on Monday (May 12).

Like the outgoing Chairman, Michael Carttiss, Mr Northam is very proud to be able to serve the people of Norfolk - his adoptive home of 26 years - and is looking forward to promoting the county during his year in office.

Mr Northam, who first moved to Norfolk from his native Wales in 1972, said: “I am very fortunate to be living in such a beautiful county and to have been accepted so warmly by the people of Norfolk. Here, in Norfolk, we have much to be proud of and I'm looking forward to promoting not only what the county has to offer, but also the excellent work of the people who live here.

"That's why, during my year as Chairman, I want to get out and about as much as possible - to meet the people who help to make a difference in our diverse communities and celebrate the positive contribution they make to Norfolk life.”

Mr Northam, who has a wife, Sylvia, and son, James, served on both parish and district councils before joining Norfolk County Council as the Conservative Member for Mundesley in 2001.

Since then, he has served as Chairman of the Fire and Community Protection Review Panel, Cabinet member for Commercial Services and Cabinet member for Fire and Community Protection. Most recently, he served as Vice Chairman of the County Council.

Born and educated in south Wales, Mr Northam left the mining village where he was brought up to join the Royal Navy, in which he served for 12 years. During the Korean War he served for 2 years in HMS Ladybird, the Royal Navy's Headquarters ship.

Later, he joined the railways, working his way through the ranks from signalman to stationmaster and finally traffic controller. But following a reorganisation of the national rail network in the 1960s, Mr Northam left to pursue a career in finance with the Hodge Group in Cardiff.

During a secondment to the Group's Norwich office in the 1970s, Mr Northam, who became General Manager, had his first taste of Norfolk life.

"My colleagues in Cardiff had bets on to see how long I'd last, but I loved it here and stayed for ten marvellous years," said Mr Northam. "In fact, we loved it so much, that when I retired in 1992, we decided to come back to Norfolk - for good!"

*Shaun Murphy, Conservative Member for Wroxham Division, was elected Vice Chairman of Norfolk County Council. Mr Murphy, who first joined Norfolk County Council in 1999, is a former Leader and Deputy Leader of the County Council as well as a former Leader of the Conservative group. He has also held Cabinet roles in Cultural Services and the Corporate portfolio.

Currently, Mr Murphy is a member of the Audit Committee, Norfolk Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the RAF Coltishall Working Group.