Your Councillors

Skipton Parish is divided into four Wards and four Councillors serve in each of those Wards. Details of each Councillor are shown in this section of the website, including details of any position(s) they hold on the Council.

Councillor Contact Details

Members Register of Interests

All Members of Skipton Town Council are, by law, required to complete a register of their personal interests. This will include, generally, details of any employment or business activities, membership of any public bodies, clubs or organisations and the details of any property interests.

The records are held by North Yorkshire Council, but it is the responsibility of each individual Councillor to complete the register and to ensure that information is kept up-to-date.

Members have a period of 28 days from the date of signing their Declaration of Acceptance in which to submit their completed register of interests.

Subject to any GDPR regulations, copies of the completed forms will be available to view on the links for each Councillor.

Ward Boundary Maps

You can find which Councillor represents you by checking which ward you live in. Maps of each of the four wards can be found below.

North Ward Map

South Ward Map

East Ward Map

West Ward Map

North Ward

Councillor Mrs Sheila Bentley

Independent

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Member of the Audit, Scrutiny & Planning Committee, Public Services Committee, Market & Events Committee and Management & Staffing Committee

Councillor Mrs Claire Nash

Green Party

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Councillor Nash is the Mayor of Skipton for 2024/25

Claire moved to Skipton in 2006 from Leeds and became a town councillor in 2019. She joined the Green Party in the 1970s when she became aware that humans are wrecking the planet at an exponential rate. She has worked in librarianship, as a carer, as a Leeds city councillor and a school governor. On Mondays she can often be seen leading a walk around Skipton. She is keen to get people out and about wherever possible, and to tackle loneliness. She encourages civic pride, campaigns for road safety and against fuel poverty, is active in Skipton Civic Society and is a regular litter-picker.

Councillor David Noland

Green Party

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David moved to Skipton just over twenty years ago to teach in Cross Hills. After a few years working away from Skipton he returned ten years ago. He is still an active member of Skipton Cricket Club where he coaches youngsters and still occasionally plays for the second eleven.

He was elected to Craven District Council in 2019 and to the new North Yorkshire Council this year. He takes a keen interest in Planning issues and has been elected to chair the Town Council's planning committee. He is keen to support local community groups especially those running allotments and sports and leisure groups.

He enjoys the Dales on foot and by bike. He is an active member of Craven Energy and his two children attend local schools.

Councillor Matthew Pickard

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Member of the Audit, Scrutiny & Planning Committee

East Ward

Councillor Winston Feather

Independent

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Councillor Feather is the Deputy Mayor for 2024/25

Born in Otley, schooled in Ilkley. Very active in farming whilst living at Askwith. Also worked as a nurse and as a hospital clerk. Father of four, had a 20 year Merchant Navy career. Qualified Foreign Going Captain. Lived and worked in Saudi Arabia as a Shipping Surveyor. Wide experience in retail, running own shop and organising regular street music festivals in Canterbury. Now working as an Airbnb Superhost. Governor at Brooklands School. Interests include walking, cycling and travelling.

Councillor Chris Harbron

Independent

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Chair of the Audit, Scrutiny & Planning Committee. Member of the Market & Events Committee.

Councillor Miss Annabel Heseltine

Independent

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Member of the Audit, Scrutiny & Planning Committee and the Public Services Committee

Councillor Jill Woollacott

Green Party

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Cllr Woollacott is a member of the Finance Committee

I moved to Skipton in 2001 choosing it, for all the obvious reasons, as the perfect place to raise my family. I have always lived locally, being born and raised in Silsden.

I have had the pleasure of working as a Teaching Assistant in a local Primary School since 2007.

I joined the Green Party in 2010 and soon became an active member and treasurer for the local branch. I believe we need Green Councillors who genuinely care about local people and the environment, therefore I am delighted to have been co-opted onto the council to represent the East Ward and everyone else in Skipton.

South Ward

Councillor Robert G Heseltine

Independent

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My philosophy in public life and duty is as a ‘one Nation Disraeli’. Our human race are rarely born as equals. By birth some will have substantial advantages, likewise ability is very different and diverse. Some will fly high, others will need the help and support that must always be available. With this strong belief in a tolerant compassionate society where we all accept our responsibilities and support those in need, my commitment to helping others remains resolute.

Councillor Aidan Higgins

Labour

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Member of the Finance Committee and Management & Staffing Committee

Councillor Karen McIntyre

Independent

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I’ve lived in the Skipton South Area all my life so very happy to be elected Cllr for third time which will give me 16yrs on Skipton Town Council.

I have 5 children oldest now 31 and youngest 8 yrs old all have started their education at Greatwood School like myself.

I enjoy socialising with friends and walks out enjoying the canals and countryside.

Committee Membership

Market & Events, Public Services (Chairman), Finance and Management & Staffing Committee

Councillor Lewis Morgan

Labour

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Member of the Finance Committee, Public Services Committee, Events & Tourism Committee, Market Committee and Management & Staffing Committee.

West Ward

Councillor Peter Madeley

Labour Party

17 Alexandra Court
Skipton
BD23 2RG

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Cllr Madeley is the Chair of the Market & Events Committee. He is also a member of the Management & Staffing Committee, Finance Committee and Public Services Committee

Councillor Brian McDaid

Independent

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Member of the Audit, Scrutiny and Planning Committee, Public Services Committee, and Management & Staffing Committee (Chair).

Councillor Virpi kettu

Labour

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Member of the Audit, Scrutiny & Planning Committee, Public Services and Market & Events Committee

Councillor Stephen Morton

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Stephen comes originally from Northern Ireland and has lived in Skipton for 11 years (after a 20-year spell in East Lancs). He worked for many years as a public health doctor until retirement in 2017. Since then, he has been a visiting professor at the University of Central Lancashire in March 2018 and Chair of Craven College since January 2021.

His public health work spanned health protection, health improvement, promoting sustainability and tackling health inequalities. Most recently, he had a national role as Director of Sustainability and Public Health within Public health England and returned form retirement to spend a further year with Public Health England on the control of Covid-19.

His personal interests include promoting active travel, sustainable nutrition, tackling climate change and protecting biodiversity; he has recently worked as an advisor to the World health Organisation on health implications of the UN’s sustainable development goals (Agenda 2030). His policy priorities include good quality affordable housing, re-vitalising our high street, protecting our environment, promoting walking and cycling, enhancing green space and increasing its accessibility and the importance of local sustainable food production for our health and our environment.

Councillor Surgeries

The North Ward Councillors hold a surgery in the Town Council Office on Otley Street on the 1st Saturday of each month between 09:30am and 10:30am. No appointment is required. This is an opportunity for constituents to meet with Councillors face to face, raise issues and concerns.

North Ward Councillor Surgery Poster