Who we are
We are a diverse group of Harston residents (Clerk excepted) who all have at least one thing in common: a desire to improve our local area and the lives of those living and working in Harston. Harston Parish Council represents its residents, making decisions about how best to
Harston Parish Council can have up to 11 members with the “quorum” (the number who need to be present in order to conduct any business) being 4. In addition, there is one administrative role, the Clerk to the Council, who also looks after the Parish administration and finances.
Parish councillors are not volunteers; they are elected representatives serving the first tier of local government, and as such have a duty to attend parish council meetings.
When and where we meet
Meetings of Harston Parish Council are held on the first Thursday of each month at 7:30pm in Harston Village Hall. Members of the public and press are welcome to attend and have a chance to ask questions in an allotted 15-minute slot at the start of every meeting.
The agenda for each meeting is published here on this website at least three full days before the meeting.
The Annual Parish Meeting (different to the Annual Meeting of the Council) is generally held in April each year. This is usually held in the Village Hall and is chaired by the Parish Council Chairman but it is not a Council Meeting. It acts as an annual point of communication and a chance to review the previous year with a range of local groups being invited to present a summary of achievements and projects undertaken during the previous 12 months.
The Annual Meeting of the Council is held in May each year and the first item of business is the election of the new chairman.
If you are interested in joining the Council please contact the clerk. If you would like more information on what a Parish Council is and why you should become a Parish Councillor, click one of the links below.
- What is a Parish Council?
- What decisions do Parish Councils make?
- What powers do Parish Councils have?
- Do councillors have to declare any financial or other personal interests they have in a matter under discussion by the council?
- What is the Councillors Code of Conduct?
- Why should I become a Parish Councillor
- How long does a Parish Councillor serve for?
- Am I eligible to be a Parish Councillor?
Harston Parish Councillors
Councillor Dominic Bellamy
My family moved into Harston in 1983. We have 4 children three of whom live locally. The children grew up in this lovely rural village using the local schools and amenities, as do our grandchildren in the present time. My industrial career can be described broadly as general management building teams and business development. My latter university career involved knowledge and technology transfer activities linking business and academia on innovation projects.
On retirement in 2018 I was encouraged to join the Parish Council, which I did and took over the Chair position in May 2021. My experience of being a Councillor is very different and rewarding in terms of its diversity and challenges that many people would not readily appreciate.
I am proud to help lead a very committed set of councillors and very much hope to encourage others from within our community to join and get involved. For a small village we face many issues, not least transport and threats to our village identity. The Parish Council working with the community can make a difference.
Email: Use this form to send Councillor Dominic Bellamy an email
Disclosable interests: Click to view (opens a new window)
Councillor Charlotte Clarke
Our family moved to Harston from London in 2000 and we have found the village a great place to live and bring up our 3 children. In my working life I lived in London, Paris and New York working in international relations, event management and latterly in the travel industry. My last job was with a specialist travel company involved with group and individual travel to performing arts events around the world.
While we have lived in Harston, I have enjoyed getting involved with village and local groups, and using my event managements skills as part of the teams preparing diverse events from Gold and Diamond Jubilee picnics to fundraising events for the Village Hall and All Saints’ Church. I cook regularly for the Over 60s Monday Lunch Club which is a good way to get to know some of the people who have lived in the village for many years and to hear their stories. I am a coach at the Riding for the Disabled group at Barrington which provides weekly sessions for children from Castle School in Cambridge. I am also a keen gardener and co-ordinated Harston Open Gardens in 2018 as well as the annual Harston Plant Sale.
I believe it is crucial that Harston maintains its identity as a village amidst the proposed development plans and am proud to be part of the Working Group furthering proposals to develop a Neighbourhood Plan for Harston. I have recently joined the Parish Council and hope to be able to contribute, especially in protecting the village’s heritage and green spaces and enhancing the community facilities for all residents.
Councillor Paul Ormerod
I have been a resident in Harston for over 30 years, bringing up our four children here, three of whom still live in Cambridge.
I am now retired but worked with Scientific_Genrics, the precursor to Sagentia, in the first half of the 1990s. Subsequently developed and delivered programmes for the London based Centre for Science and Technology. From around 2003 I founded a small communications specialist company that worked mainly with the EU to publicise its R&D programmes. From 2013 I co-founded Limetools which made digital media that explained climate change, entrepreneurship and innovation management, working around Europe and South East Asia. Also developed multimedia tools to drive behaviour change focused on climate related issues.
Though retired I am still keenly interested in and engaged with sustainability, climate change, energy use and transport issues, specifically currently examining the business case for East West Rail. I remain committed to working on these issues with Harston Residents, within the Parish Council, and in a wider regional context.
Councillor Rupert Pearce Gould
I have lived in Harston for 34 years. I am also a member of a Cambridge College. I have a degree in engineering from Cambridge University and am a retired Chartered Accountant. I have acted as Trustee on a number of Charities including both a medical charity and an educational charity. I have acted as finance director on a number of Boards including the owners of Harston Mill. As such I have been involved in many strategic plans.
I believe in good governance and the Nolan Principles when in public roles. Harston is at a point of inflection in its life as an independent village unit and needs a plan to re-establish its own identity.
Email: Use this form to send Councillor Rupert Pearce Gould an email
Disclosable interests: Click to view (opens a new window)
Councillor Mike Luffman
I am 70 years of age and retired 2 years ago after 53 years in the motor trade, spending 22 of those years employed in the village.
I moved to the village 49 years ago when I married.
I joined the Parish Council just over a year ago and have enjoyed serving on the council and also on 2 sub committees, namely Finance and Planning, and i am also a member of the Recreation Ground Working Group.
I am also Treasurer for Harston Football Club and I am a council member of the Cambridgeshire Football Association which is a post I have held for the last 15 years.
I am looking forward to the coming years when I hope to be able to help projects come to fruition in the village
Mike Luffman
Email: Use this form to send Councillor Mike Luffman an email
Disclosable interests: Click to view (opens a new window)
Councillor David Stierer
David Stierer has lived in the village all his life. He currently serves on the Finance and Planning Committees and is on the Recreation Ground Working Group.
Email: Use this form to send Councillor David Stierer an email
Disclosable interests: Click to view (opens a new window)
Councillor Sandra Carroll
Having left an office managerial role in a large Accountancy and Management Consultancy company in London, I decided to have an adventure and try living in a different country. I chose Spain. I guess it was a bit of a mid-life crisis! However after several years, I missed the UK and my family so decided to return. I settled in Harston around 12 years ago near some family members who live in the area.
I liked Harston but did not know much about it, other than it is conveniently located for various reasons. However, once I moved here I realised that the residents of Harston are friendly, generally happy and feel passionate about their surroundings. I too feel passionate about my surroundings and the issues which affect people. I am particularly concerned about issues regarding traffic, trees, our food support hub and community events. I applied to become a Councillor with the hope I could contribute to the village. Happily I was accepted and have now been a Councillor for 3 years.
Email: Use this form to send Councillor Sandra Carroll an email
Disclosable interests: Click to view (opens a new window)
Councillor Paul Holdom
Email: Use this form to send Councillor Paul Holdom an email
Disclosable interests: Click to view (opens a new window)
District Councillors
County Councillors
Committee and Working Group Membership
The Chair and Vice-Chair are ex-officio members of all committees and working parties.
Finance Committee
RFO (Jessica Ward) Cllr Bellamy; Cllr Benning; Cllr Holdom; Cllr Luffman; Cllr Stierer.
Planning Committee
Cllr Bellamy; Cllr Holdom; Cllr Pearce Gould; Councillor Luffman; Councillor Stierer; Councillor Naik
Recreation Ground Working Group
Cllr Luffman; Councillor Luffman
Volunteers: Martin Harris
Pavilion Re-development Working Group
Cllr Luffman; Councillor Pearce Gould; Councillor Bellamy; Councillor Carroll; Councillor Clarke; Councillor Naik
Transport & Traffic Working Group
Cllr Bellamy; Councillor Holdom; Councillor Pearce Gould;
Publicity/Village Magazine:
Councillor Carroll; (Clerk) Diane Bayliss
Council Representatives
Conservation/Greener Harston Councillor Naik
Wardens trust: Councillor Bellamy
Pinders Charity: Councillor Bellamy
School Liaison: Councillor Holdom
Village Hall: Councillor Benning
Food Hub: Cllr Carroll
Defibrillators: Cllr Bellamy