Jackie Holder Profile

Where do you live in the Village.

I live in part of the converted mill in Renton Close

Me and my immediate family.

I live alone. I have two sons; one is a Chef in Bristol, the other recently moved to Knaresborough with his partner and my 2 year old granddaughter. Born and bred in the North West I lived in Knaresborough for 4 years in the 90s during a Home Office Secondment and fell in love with the area, vowing to get back here one day. l

My professional background.

I am a retired Police Chief Inspector. Starting at 18 in Merseyside Police and retiring from Thames Valley Police in 2006 as Head of H&S, with all sorts in between! Some might say H&S is boring, my view is very different. It was an essential part of the organisation in making sure officers were not treated as ‘cannon fodder’ but we’re able to go home to their families at the end of their shifts and were able to retire as fit and healthy as was possible to enjoy their lives after service. I then spent 7 years in South Central Ambulance Service in the 111 Department before moving up to North Wales to look after my elderly father who had been diagnosed with dementia.

My Particular skills and experience

Having been a public servant all of my working life, I believe in ‘giving back’. I served as a Community Councillor in a village in the beautiful Vale of Clwyd in Denbighshire for 4 years and have now committed to the Parish Council here. I bring determination to serve the community without fear or favour, as they say and a deep sense of fairness. I have decent project management skills and a forthright communication approach (What you see is what you get!) with a tenacity to complete the task in hand. Team working is paramount in my humble view and I am always open to honest communication.

Particular Matters I want to concentrate on.

Living where I do in the village I cannot help but notice the amount of HGVs that appear to be using the Boroughbridge Road as a cut through in contravention of the 7.5 tonne weight limit. I worry about the effect this has on the village in numerous ways and have started exploring ways to combat the problem.

What do I hope that the PC can achieve?

I consider myself very fortunate to be able live in such a charming village that is obviously well looked after by the Community but faces challenges. My hope is that the PC can continue to be a body that fosters that sense of Community, listening to and working with its residents to face the challenges that come our way.