Paul Weeks

I have been the Chairman of Newton Flotman Parish Council since May 2022 and have served on the council as a co-opted member from September 2019 until I was elected to the council in May 2023.

I have lived in Norfolk since 1996 at which time I started my academic career at City College Norwich. My wife and I moved to Newton Flotman in 2009 as I was working at the time at Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford and wanted to cut down on the time I spent commuting to and from work.  I retired from lecturing in 2019 just before the Covid pandemic struck and have enjoyed getting more involved in village life as a member of the NFAST historical group, being the Parish Council representative on the Long Stratton Medical Partnership Patient Participation Group, being the administrator for the Newton Flotman Charities, and I am a member of the cell group from St Mary’s Church.

I was born in London and have lived in Yorkshire (Barnsley, Sheffield and Bradford) and Belfast in Northern Ireland where between 1971 and 1977, I completed my undergraduate studies with a degree from Ulster University.  Northern Ireland was an interesting experience as the 1970s was the first decade of the “troubles” in that part of the world.

Returning to England in 1977 I worked in marketing departments for companies in the Market Research, Fire Protection and Construction Industries before I moved into academia in 1996.  During my time in academia, I gained additional academic qualifications which concluded with a PhD in 2018 on the student value of their higher education experience.

In my spare time I avidly read books from a range of authors including Michael Connelly, Lee Child, John Grisham, Bernard Cornwall and Ian Rankin.  I attend Proclaimers Church as well as the cell group noted above.  My wife and I enjoy exploring the countryside and coast of Norfolk.  I am interested in all sport and have followed the exploits of Arsenal football club since I was ten years old so have lived through the good and the bad times!

Like many others before me I joined the Parish Council to try and improve the access to Ipswich Road from Flordon Road having experienced the frustration of trying to turn right to go to Chelmsford in the morning rush hour.  It is still a high priority and something I continue to try to improve for all of us.