BRAMSHOTT and Liphook Parish Council has filled the two empty seats by co-opting James Enticknap-Green and Susan Garnett as members.

Mr Enticknap-Green is 33 years old and has been a Liphook resident for the majority of his life as well as being a former Bohunt pupil.

He did an apprenticeship in construction plant engineering with JCB, before becoming a tree surgeon at the age of 20 and now has his own company, Liphook Tree Surgeons.

He also had a two-year spell working on frontline emergency ambulances as an emergency care support worker for the South East Coast Ambulance Service.

Mr Enticknap-Green said: “The skill sets I have learned throughout my working life so far have equipped me to deal with people from all walks of life and respect different cultures.

“Recently I have completed my pre-deployment training as a member of the Disaster Arborist Response Team (DART), providing arborist skills and humanitarian aid in the wake of natural disasters overseas as a volunteer and am helping them with ongoing training of other volunteers.”

He describes himself as a “dynamic team player,” who is always keen to learn new skills.

“Now married with two step-children and a small successful business in the village I grew up in, I feel I have a good understanding of the local areas demographics and needs”, he added.

“With this in mind, me and my family plan to remain here indefinitely.

“With the knowledge that comes from living in the countryside and being an experienced tree surgeon, I believe I can offer a pro-active support to the management and conservation of our open spaces and recreational areas.

“Being on the outskirts of the South Downs National Park will help us conserve some of our more rural areas, although I understand and have a realistic view on development of other areas to take our share of the ever-rising need for homes.

“I firmly believe Liphook requires support from the local community to drive forward some plans for a better infrastructure to support the rising population locally.

“I do not understand the full commitments of the parish council to the community as yet, but am a fast learner and have the time to get involved where I can. I hope my skill sets and enthusiasm can be of use.”

Mr Enticknap-Green is currently in the Philippines with DART International UK, which was conceived while carrying out disaster relief work there in the immediate aftermath of typhoon Haiyan in 2013.

Mrs Garnett, 64, qualified as a barrister in 1973. She grew up in Midhurst.

She worked in London, living in Wimbledon between 1980 and 2000, where she was a volunteer legal advisor at the Fulham Legal Advice Centre for more than 20 years and became a governor and later chairman of governors of a local primary school.

Mrs Garnett left the Bar for six years mid-career and worked in planning and property development but returned to full-time work at the Bar, in 1992.

In 2000, the family moved to Rake to a house that had rights – or estover – to take wood from Chapel Common.

She told The Herald: “Both my husband and I became involved in the preservation and maintenance of common land around Liphook.

“The commute and the country lifestyle were exhausting, so in 2005 we purchased our current home in Bramshott and sold the farm.

“This was followed by a period of time based in Munich from where I commuted to London about three times a month for work. In 2013, I decided that towing large amounts of paper through airports was getting to be less than fun, so I decided to retire from the Bar.

“I treated myself to a Sussex Spaniel, which is a rare breed, and having been an owner for a couple of years – the general appeal is easy to understand.

“I returned from Germany with my husband to Bramshott where we are surrounded by common land previously owned by the Canadian government and used by their brave young men in two world wars.

“My background is really in finance and housing and I suppose I might be able to make the most informed contribution to the parish council’s finance and policy and planning committees.

“I have had a long-term interest in housing and have been chairman of the management company of a large Hampshire low-cost housing development for about five years.

“The provision and maintenance of proper housing and infrastructure facilities are a long-term interest and a great challenge for the near and medium future.

“I like travel and at the end of January, I am off to Ethiopia where 140 people have recently been killed in housing disputes.

“Hopefully matters are decided with less direct action in Bramshott and Liphook.”