He is a Londoner by birth who grew up in the Borough of Croydon and was educated at St Joseph’s College, Upper Norwood (a sister school to that of the same name in Ipswich). After completing his A-Levels and spending a period in work, he joined the Army in the mid-1980s and began a career as an aircraft engineer. He served for 24 years in several theatres, including Germany, the Far East, Norway, Northern Ireland and Iraq, ultimately attaining the rank of Warrant Officer.
He is now employed in the delivery of aircraft maintenance training the dedicated servicemen and women who service and repair the Army’s fleet of Apache helicopters at Wattisham.
His final posting in the Army was to Wattisham Flying Station in 2002, where he and his family were quartered in the town of Hadleigh. After years of moving around at the Army’s direction, they found Suffolk to be an exceptionally green and appealing place and chose to settle there. He considers it a special place and, most importantly, a safe haven in which to raise a family. He is married, and his children were educated at Hadleigh High School, which offers a broad and varied curriculum.
His interests include cycling, and he is often seen riding around the Shotley Peninsula in his bike club attire. He also enjoys walking along the shoreline, frequently stopping at local pubs and cafés. He regards the Peninsula - and indeed the wider county - as an excellent place for leisure and living. In addition, he enjoys camping and spends many weekends exploring different parts of the county and its facilities.
Mick is a Conservative by conviction and believes that his party’s policies are well suited to Suffolk, particularly in challenging times. As a Councillor for Hadleigh, he aims to continue working hard in the interests of residents and the county as a whole. He places strong emphasis on the development of young people, particularly through schooling, sport and group activities, to help them face adulthood with confidence. He also supports lifelong learning for adults through education and training and maintains an interest in further education providers.
As a previous town councillor for Hadleigh, he has been diligent in scrutinising council spending to ensure value for taxpayers’ money and has demonstrated the willingness to question policies he believes are flawed. For example, when the council proposed banning a charity cake sale due to concerns over health and safety regulations, he challenged the decision, highlighting outdated policies and the need for reform to ensure proper procedures.
Among the practical changes he has supported are the relocation of a redundant bus shelter to better serve residents and schoolchildren during poor weather, and the installation of a prominent notice board in the town centre, secured through negotiation with a long-established local business. These small initiatives, in his view, contribute to meaningful improvements for the community.