Councillors

Click here or see below to view notification of disclosable pecuniary interests forms for each Parish Councillor. 

Councillor biographies

Caroline Jessel

Dr Caroline Jessel has lived in Boughton Monchelsea parish since 1979. She was a GP in Sutton Valence for 30 years. She is married to Paul Lewis and all 5 of their children plus two grandchildren attended Boughton Monchelsea Primary School. Towards the end of her career she was the NHS England Lead for the South Regional Sustainability and Health Network. She has always had a strong interest in the relationship between the environment and health and is very interested in creatively addressing root causes of both physical and mental health difficulties while reconnecting with nature. She now spends much of her time helping nature recovery and addressing the challenges of climate change.

Caroline is patron and founder of Dandelion Time which has an innovative approach to helping children affected by trauma, abuse and neglect. This unique therapeutic model is a successful example of ecotherapy.

Doug Smith

Doug and his family are 'comers' to the parish, having moved here in 2004. An Architect, he still acts as a consultant to the London based practice he was a partner at for over 30 years. Married to Wendy, they have three children and two grandchildren,

Both Doug and Wendy have a keen interest in nature, the environment and climate change and were fortunate enough to be able to design and construct their own 'Passivhaus' recently.

Doug is passionate about protecting Boughton Monchelsea, he chairs the parish's planning committee and BMAT, the charitable company which holds most of the land the parish has acquired over the last 30 years or so. Working alongside Caroline Jessel, Doug has been instrumental in setting up the Biodiversity Net Gain schemes at Lyewood and Walk Meadow,