Meet Your Councillors

Committee Structure & Members 2024-2025

Committee Structure and Members
CDC Parish Council's Joint Consultative Committee	Ian Smith
Tickhill Parish Room Committee	Paula Thomas
	Ian Smith
Tickhill Town Council Website	Ian Smith
Tickhill Litter Picking and Snow Warden
Tickhill Today Magazine	Clerk/Admin Support submits the newsletter
YLCA SY Branch	Anita Johnson

*indicates chairperson of each committee
Finance Committee usually 4 members	Chris Taylor*, Paula Thomas, Matt Bycroft, Anita Johnson,
Staffing Committee usually 4 members	Matt Bycroft* , Baz Cooper, Anita Johnson, Doug Cartwright
Pavilion Management Working Group	Chris Taylor*, Doug Carwright, Sai Patel, Matt Bycroft
Events Working Group	Baz Cooper, Paula Thomas, Ian Smith, Sam Foster

Anita Johnson

Chair

07949509257

anita.johnson@tickhilltowncouncil.gov.uk

Paula Thomas

paula.thomas@tickhilltowncouncil.gov.uk

Paula first moved to Tickhill in 1980 and attended St Mary’s School. Work took her to a variety of locations following University, but she maintained local links and returned to Tickhill in 2004 with her then young family, and has been here ever since.

Paula is known by many in Tickhill as the producer of Tickhill Today magazine, which she launched over 20 years ago. She is well known in the community and is a trustee of Tickhill Community Library, Trustee and Chair of Tickhill Community Connections and a member of Tickhill Together. Paula also founded Poppies for Tickhill, a group that creates Poppy displays for Remembrance in Tickhill.

Paula has 13 years' experience as a Parent Governor of local schools (8 at St Mary’s, 5 at Sir Thomas Wharton), where she developed many skills that she hopes will benefit her as a Councillor. Paula has a particular interest in improving facilities for young people, which prompted her to initiate the introduction of Teen Café evenings locally, and she continues to support these.

With a degree in Business Management and Finance, 10 years in Banking and 20 years running her own business, Paula brings a wealth of experience to the council.

Paula’s decision to join Tickhill Town Council stems from a desire to make a difference and get things done. Tickhill is a great place to live, but there is always room for improvement, and Paula would like to see ongoing enhancements to our environment and improvements to facilities for the benefit of all residents, as well as for local businesses and visitors to Tickhill.

Chris Taylor

Deputy Chair

07983 170745

chris.taylor@tickhilltowncouncil.gov.uk

Recently retired, Chris has had the privilege of living and working in Tickhill all his life.

From his late teens Chris has contributed to many organisations in Tickhill; he was the first Leo President, Chair of St. Mary's PTA and a Governor at St. Mary's. He was also one of the founding members of Tickhill running club.

Chris brings a wealth of experience to the council, having extensive experience at board level in his retail career at NISA and serving as a Trustee of the Charity ‘Making a Difference Locally’. Chris says, "I hope to draw on my experiences to fulfil my role as a Town Councillor for the benefit of all who live in and visit Tickhill".

Doug Cartwright

doug.cartwright@tickhilltowncouncil.gov.uk

Prior to moving to Tickhill two years ago Doug lived in Bawtry for over ten years and was an active member of Bawtry Town Council where he was involved with the refurbishment of the Market Hill car park, organising the annual senior citizens Christmas lunch, the re-siting of the war memorial, the tendering and installation of the electric charging points and numerous other projects. He was also deputy mayor/vice chair for five of the ten years he served on the council. He was also an active member of the Bawtry Residents Group, chairing the group for more than four years and helping to raise the profile of the groups Facebook page and increase its membership from 300 members to over 6000 members.
Prior to retiring in 2020 Doug held senior management roles in the rail industry and local government before establishing his own Health, Safety & Emergency Resilience consultancy in 2013.
Doug enjoys playing an active role in the community in which he lives and believes joining Tickhill Town Council will give him the opportunity to make a positive contribution for the benefit of residents, retailers and visitors to Tickhill.

Sam Foster

sam.foster@tickhilltowncouncil.gov.uk

Baz Cooper

07919387404

baz.cooper@tickhilltowncouncil.gov.uk

Meet Baz, a dedicated and dynamic member of the Tickhill Town Council. With a military career spanning various tours, Baz brings a wealth of experience and a steadfast commitment to serving the community. As a passionate mental health advocate, he understands the importance of supporting those in need and actively promotes well-being and resilience.

Baz is a proud supporter of the Doncaster Veterans Group, including Fit Forces, where he works with others to enhance the lives of fellow veterans. His deep-rooted dedication to the veteran community is a testament to his unwavering sense of duty and camaraderie.

In addition to his council responsibilities, Baz serves as an instructor for a reputable training company (Network Training Partnership), collaborating with government agencies to deliver a diverse range of courses. His expertise and enthusiasm for teaching reflect his belief in the power of education and personal development.

Baz’s decision to join the Tickhill Town Council stems from his desire to make a tangible difference and contribute to continue making Tickhill an exceptional place to live. His vision for the community is one of unity, growth, and continuous improvement.

Baz would like to extend his heartfelt thanks to everyone for welcoming him into this role. He is excited to work alongside his fellow Council members and the wonderful residents of Tickhill to build a brighter future together.

Matt Bycroft

matt.bycroft@tickhilltowncouncil.gov.uk

I originally moved to Tickhill in 2021 to be closer to family. While trying to find the right place to put down roots and raise our baby daughter we were captured by Tickhill’s history, high street and the people we met as we explored the village.

I have a long career in Financial Management within the manufacturing industry, managing costs and planning resources. I am very proud to have been given the opportunity to join Tickhill Council and I am looking forward to making a meaningful contribution to the community.

Tickhill is an incredible place and our home. I believe strongly that everyone who lives here should be able to share in the best that Tickhill can offer and that we must preserve what we share for future generations.

Sai Patel

sai.patel@tickhilltowncouncil.gov.uk

Sai has lived in Tickhill since 2008, and has worked in education for his entire career, including leadership roles in schools, serving as an HMI for Ofsted, and working as an Education Advisor for the Department for Education. He currently supports schools in Sheffield.

Sai is honoured to be able to support the Council and the community in keeping Tickhill as a wonderful place to live, work, and visit. He is keen to retain the special character and heritage of Tickhill whilst also preparing it for the future. Sai relishes spending time with his wife and two young children and enjoys travel and reading.

Ian Smith

07484 250281

ian.smith@tickhilltowncouncil.gov.uk

Married with three grown children, Ian moved to Tickhill in 1987 following two years in Houston, Texas. Initially trained as a Metallurgist working at the BSC research labs in Rotherham, Ian switched to Engineering Software Development and Information Management in 1980 with Davy Computing and has remained in that field ever since. Following a brief attempt at retirement, Ian returned to work for “one last project” in 2020.

When not working, Ian is an avid board gamer and will happily play games that take 15 minutes or 15 hours. He enjoys classic rock and blues music, ideally live, is very interested in history, particularly local, naval and military, and enjoys visiting the sites he has researched. He has travelled extensively, both for work and pleasure and particularly enjoys long road trips, especially if they’re made up along the way. He relished in the adventure of returning from Baku to the U.K. overland following the 2010 Icelandic volcano eruption. Ian is also an active member of the Steampunk community, a collection of wonderful inventive, engaging and accepting eccentrics who enjoy re-enacting a Victorian period that never existed.