MEMBERS AND CANDIDATES
Les Fry
Member of Dorset Council for Dorchester West ward
Member of Dorchester Town Council for Dorchester West ward
Les was a dairy farmer and sheep farmer in West Dorset for many years before joining Dorset Police. He served in Poole, Weymouth, Wareham, Dorchester, Sherborne and Winfrith before finishing in 2018 as the Custody Inspector at Weymouth.
Les then worked as a planning Enforcement with North Dorset District Council before leaving to stand for election in the 2019 elections. Les was elected to both Dorchester Town Council and Dorset Council as an Independent Councillor for Dorchester West Ward.
Les sits on a number of Committees for Dorset council, including Licensing, Northern Planning, Police and Crime panel and Farming, as well as numerous working groups.
Les is a member of Dorchester Casterbridge Rotary Club and will be The club president for the second time in 2022. He is also a Trustee of Dorchester Youth and Community centre, a member of Dorchester Beerex committee and was part of the core group that set up the Dorchester Park Run.
Les was award the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2022 Queens New Years Honours list for his services to volunteering in Dorchester and West Dorset.
Rob Hughes
Member of Dorset Council for Portland
Rob is originally from Wirral and went to Art School in Birkenhead for 3 years before moving to London and working in the world of window display and management for London’s top department stores.
Rob and his wife moved to Portland in 2001 with their award-winning creative company in 2005 Rob set up a not-for-profit company teaching local people to scuba dive.
In 2010 was the first time he joined the local Town Council on Portland as an Independent councillor and became Mayor of the Island in 2014/15.
The formation of the new Dorset Council in 2019 saw Rob elected as an independent member for Portland.
His role over the past four years has been as Vice chair of the Harbours committee helping to align the 3 harbours within Dorset, he is also member of the cross-party EAP on climate change and ecological emergency as well as representing the council on numerous outside bodies.
Rob Is a trustee for Portland Museum and has been a non-executive director at B-Side Arts festival in the past as well as supporting local community events that take place on the island.
rob.portlandindependent@gmail.com 07973209034
Susan Cocking
Member of Dorset Council for Portland Ward
Member of Portland Town Council for Tophill West Ward
Initially Susan trained, lived, and worked as a hair stylist in London, but after having two children she established a successful career in banking, becoming the branch manager of The Woolwich in Woolwich, South-East London.
In 2007 Susan moved to Portland, Dorset where she developed her own catering business, successfully securing the catering contract with G4S for the 2012 Olympics.
In 2015 Susan was elected as an Independent Councillor to Portland Town Council and in 2019 was again elected as an Independent Councillor to Portland Town Council and to the newly formed Unitary Dorset Council; serving as Mayor of Portland in 2019/20. As a Dorset Councillor Susan is a member of Western and Southern Planning, Licensing, Vice Chair of the Audit and Governance Committee and a member of Dorset Domestic Abuse Forum.
Currently on the Board of trustees for The Drop-In, a youth provision on Portland, a member of the Community Land Trust and a non-paid Director of The Portland Community Partnership.
susancocking59@gmail.com 07830971934
