Christopher Newbury
Encyclopedia
Christopher Newbury is an English
politician, a member of the Congress of the Council of Europe since 1998 and an Independent
member of Wiltshire Council
since 2009.
and Keble College, Oxford.
In 1976, he represented the Oxford Union Society
in the Observer Mace student debating competition in partnership with Benazir Bhutto
. In a Ravenscroft
production of Macbeth
, he played the part of Macbeth opposite Guy Hands
as Lady Macbeth.
Newbury was appointed to the UK Delegation to the Congress of the Council of Europe in 1998. At first not in a political grouping, he joined the European People's Party
in 2004. At the European level, he has specialized since 1999 in monitoring local democracy and observing elections. He has prepared reports for the Council of Europe
on the situation of local democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina
(2001 and 2006), Armenia
(2003), Luxembourg
(2004), Liechtenstein
(2005), Serbia
(2010) and Russia
(2010).
His report on local and regional democracy in Russia (2010) recommended the reintroduction of direct elections for regional governors, changes to the law to make it possible to register new political parties "without the need to demonstrate an impractically large number of members", and ending the use of closed lists in local and regional elections, and to implement new measures to eradicate corruption at local level.
In his report on Liechtenstein (2006), Newbury stated that "The situation of municipalities in Liechtenstein was remarkable and indeed enviable. Both the letter and the spirit of the Charter were observed", thanking the Prince of Liechtenstein
for a his welcome.
He has also headed delegations of the Council of Europe
to observe elections in its member and observer states, including Kosovo
(November 2001), the Ukraine
(March 2002), Armenia
(October 2002), Gagauzia
, Moldova
(November 2003), and Palestine
(December, 2005). He was joint rapporteur
for the observation of the Presidential election in Serbia and Montenegro
of June 2004, heading the observation of the second round on 27 June 2004, and was rapporteur for elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina
in September-October 2004. He also took part in election observations in Kosovo in 2000, Montenegro
in 2002, Moldova
in May and June 2003, Albania
in October 2003, Azerbaijan
in 2004 and again in 2009, Armenia and Macedonia
in 2005, and Adjara
in 2008.
In 2000 and 2008 he represented the Council of Europe
's Congress at meetings of the Venice Commission
.
In 2003, he was the rapporteur of the Congress of the Council of Europe on Public Ethics at the Local Level and on a related Handbook of Good Practice prepared by the CDLR.
He serves as the rapporteur of the Congress on the revision of the European Charter of Local Self-Government
, which has included a recommendation on opening the Charter to accession by the European Community.
Newbury was a member of West Wiltshire
District Council
from 1995 to 2009 and of Wiltshire County Council
from 1997 to 2009. For some years he chaired the West Wiltshire
Planning Committee
and has been chairman of the Wiltshire Victoria County History
since 2002. He is also a governor of Urchfont Manor College
and the Wiltshire Historic Buildings Trust
and a member of the Wiltshire and Swindon Fire Authority
and of the LGA
's Fire Services Management Committee.
Since the 2009 election
to Wiltshire Council
, his Warminster Copheap and Wylye division includes Boyton
, Bishopstrow
, Chitterne
, Codford
, Heytesbury
with Imber
and Knook, Norton Bavant
, Stockton
, Sherrington
, and Upton Lovell
, with the northern part of the town of Warminster
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
politician, a member of the Congress of the Council of Europe since 1998 and an Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
member of Wiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council is the unitary authority for most of the county of Wiltshire, in the West of England, the successor authority to Wiltshire County Council and to four districts—Kennet, North Wiltshire, Salisbury, and West Wiltshire—all of which had been created in 1973 and were...
since 2009.
Early life
Newbury was educated at Gresham's SchoolGresham's School
Gresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school in Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
and Keble College, Oxford.
In 1976, he represented the Oxford Union Society
Oxford Union
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, Britain, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford...
in the Observer Mace student debating competition in partnership with Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto was a democratic socialist who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996....
. In a Ravenscroft
Ravenscroft School (Somerset)
Ravenscroft School was an independent day and boarding school, initially for boys only, but from 1964 co-educational. From 1945 onwards its premises were in Somerset, England...
production of Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
, he played the part of Macbeth opposite Guy Hands
Guy Hands
Guy Hands , is an English financier and investor. He is most notable as the founder and chairman of Terra Firma Capital Partners, one of the largest private equity firms in Europe. Hands also previously served as Chairman of the U.K...
as Lady Macbeth.
Council of Europe
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
in 2004. At the European level, he has specialized since 1999 in monitoring local democracy and observing elections. He has prepared reports for the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
on the situation of local democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
(2001 and 2006), Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
(2003), Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
(2004), Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein
The Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over , and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan...
(2005), Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
(2010) and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(2010).
His report on local and regional democracy in Russia (2010) recommended the reintroduction of direct elections for regional governors, changes to the law to make it possible to register new political parties "without the need to demonstrate an impractically large number of members", and ending the use of closed lists in local and regional elections, and to implement new measures to eradicate corruption at local level.
In his report on Liechtenstein (2006), Newbury stated that "The situation of municipalities in Liechtenstein was remarkable and indeed enviable. Both the letter and the spirit of the Charter were observed", thanking the Prince of Liechtenstein
Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein
Hans-Adam II , is the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. He is the son of Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein and his wife Countess Georgina von Wilczek . He also bears the titles Duke of Troppau and Jägerndorf, Count of Rietberg...
for a his welcome.
He has also headed delegations of the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
to observe elections in its member and observer states, including Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
(November 2001), the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
(March 2002), Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
(October 2002), Gagauzia
Gagauzia
Gagauzia , formally known as the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Găgăuzia , is an autonomous region of...
, Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
(November 2003), and Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
(December, 2005). He was joint rapporteur
Rapporteur
Rapporteur is used in international and European legal and political contexts to refer to a person appointed by a deliberative body to investigate an issue or a situation....
for the observation of the Presidential election in Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro was a country in southeastern Europe, formed from two former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia : Serbia and Montenegro. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was established in 1992 as a federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
of June 2004, heading the observation of the second round on 27 June 2004, and was rapporteur for elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
in September-October 2004. He also took part in election observations in Kosovo in 2000, Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
in 2002, Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
in May and June 2003, Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
in October 2003, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
in 2004 and again in 2009, Armenia and Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
in 2005, and Adjara
Adjara
Adjara , officially the Autonomous Republic of Adjara , is an autonomous republic of Georgia.Adjara is located in the southwestern corner of Georgia, bordered by Turkey to the south and the eastern end of the Black Sea...
in 2008.
In 2000 and 2008 he represented the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
's Congress at meetings of the Venice Commission
Venice Commission
The Venice Commission is an advisory body of the Council of Europe, composed of independent experts in the field of constitutional law. It was created in 1990 after the fall of the Berlin wall, at a time of urgent need for constitutional assistance in Central and Eastern Europe...
.
In 2003, he was the rapporteur of the Congress of the Council of Europe on Public Ethics at the Local Level and on a related Handbook of Good Practice prepared by the CDLR.
He serves as the rapporteur of the Congress on the revision of the European Charter of Local Self-Government
European Charter of Local Self-Government
The European Charter of Local Self-Government was adopted under the auspices of the Congress of the Council of Europe and was opened for signature by the Council of Europe's member states on 15 October 1985...
, which has included a recommendation on opening the Charter to accession by the European Community.
Wiltshire
West Wiltshire
West Wiltshire was a local government district in Wiltshire, England, formed on 1 April 1974, further to the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of the former urban districts of Bradford-on-Avon, Melksham, Trowbridge, Warminster and Westbury, along with Bradford and Melksham Rural District and...
District Council
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
from 1995 to 2009 and of Wiltshire County Council
Wiltshire County Council
Wiltshire County Council was the county council of Wiltshire in the South West of England, an elected local Government body responsible for most local government services in the county....
from 1997 to 2009. For some years he chaired the West Wiltshire
West Wiltshire
West Wiltshire was a local government district in Wiltshire, England, formed on 1 April 1974, further to the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of the former urban districts of Bradford-on-Avon, Melksham, Trowbridge, Warminster and Westbury, along with Bradford and Melksham Rural District and...
Planning Committee
Planning committee
A planning committee in the United Kingdom is a committee of local authority councillors that sit as the local planning authority to determine planning applications....
and has been chairman of the Wiltshire Victoria County History
Wiltshire Victoria County History
The Wiltshire Victoria County History is an encyclopaedic history of the county of Wiltshire in England. It forms part of the overall Victoria County History of England founded in 1899 in honour of Queen Victoria...
since 2002. He is also a governor of Urchfont Manor College
Urchfont Manor College
Urchfont Manor College is a residential college for adult education which opened in 1947. The college is owned and operated by Wiltshire Council; it is also used as a conference centre.-Urchfont Manor:...
and the Wiltshire Historic Buildings Trust
Wiltshire Historic Buildings Trust
The Wiltshire Historic Buildings Trust is a charitable organization which works to preserve the architectural heritage of Wiltshire, in the West of England.-History:...
and a member of the Wiltshire and Swindon Fire Authority
Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service
Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service is the county-wide, statutory emergency fire and rescue service for the ceremonial county of Wiltshire, England. It is administered by a joint authority of 13 members, 9 appointed by Wiltshire Council and 4 by Swindon Borough Council, called the Wiltshire and Swindon...
and of the LGA
Local Government Association
The Local Government Association is a voluntary lobbying organisation acting as the voice of the local government sector in England and Wales, which seeks to be an authoritative and effective advocate on its behalf....
's Fire Services Management Committee.
Since the 2009 election
Wiltshire Council election, 2009
Elections to Wiltshire Council, a new unitary authority, were held on 4 June 2009.The whole council of 98 members was up for election, with each member elected in a single-member electoral division...
to Wiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council is the unitary authority for most of the county of Wiltshire, in the West of England, the successor authority to Wiltshire County Council and to four districts—Kennet, North Wiltshire, Salisbury, and West Wiltshire—all of which had been created in 1973 and were...
, his Warminster Copheap and Wylye division includes Boyton
Boyton, Wiltshire
Boyton is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 179, including the village of Corton, which forms part of the parish of Boyton.-Location:...
, Bishopstrow
Bishopstrow
Bishopstrow is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, on the River Wylye about two miles south-east of Warminster, at .According to the 2001 census it had a population of 109....
, Chitterne
Chitterne
Chitterne is a village and parish in the County of Wiltshire, in the south west of England. The village lies in the middle of Salisbury Plain, to the south of the abandoned village of Imber...
, Codford
Codford
Codford is a village and civil parish south of Salisbury Plain in the Wylye Valley in Wiltshire, England at .-Location:The village is on the A36 road between Salisbury and Warminster...
, Heytesbury
Heytesbury
Heytesbury is a village in Wiltshire, England, in the Wylye Valley, about three miles south of Warminster.-History:...
with Imber
Imber
Imber is an uninhabited village in part of the British Army's training grounds on the Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England. It is situated in an isolated area of the Plain, about west of the A360 road between Tilshead and West Lavington, accessible only by military tracks...
and Knook, Norton Bavant
Norton Bavant
Norton Bavant is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England.-Location:The village is southeast of the market town of Warminster, just off the A36 road to Salisbury, and at the edge of Salisbury Plain...
, Stockton
Stockton, Wiltshire
Stockton is a small village in the Wylye Valley in Wiltshire, England .-Location and extent:The village is close to Codford, south of the A36 road, between the town of Warminster and the city of Salisbury....
, Sherrington
Sherrington
Sherrington is a village and civil parish on the River Wylye in Wiltshire, England.-Location:Sherrington is near Codford and Salisbury Plain...
, and Upton Lovell
Upton Lovell
Upton Lovell is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is situated on the A36, near Warminster, and by the River Wylye.-History:Upton Lovell is an ancient settlement, with a medieval Church of England parish church dedicated Saint Peter...
, with the northern part of the town of Warminster
Warminster
Warminster is a town in western Wiltshire, England, by-passed by the A36, and near Frome and Westbury. It has a population of about 17,000. The River Were runs through the town and can be seen running through the middle of the town park. The Minster Church of St Denys sits on the River Were...
.
See also
- West Wiltshire Council election, 1999West Wiltshire Council election, 1999Elections to West Wiltshire District Council were held on 6 May 1999. The whole council was up for election and the Liberal Democrats held their overall control, winning twenty-seven seats while the Conservatives took ten, Independents four and the Labour Party two....
- West Wiltshire Council election, 2003West Wiltshire Council election, 2003Elections to West Wiltshire District Council were held on 1 May 2003. The whole council was up for election and the Liberal Democrats lost their majority, leaving the council with no overall control....
- West Wiltshire Council election, 2007West Wiltshire Council election, 2007Elections to West Wiltshire District Council were held on 3 May 2007. The whole council was up for election and the Conservatives took control.Most wards had boundary changes or were new...
- Wiltshire Council election, 1997Wiltshire Council election, 1997Elections to Wiltshire County Council were held on 1 May 1997. The whole council was up for election and the result was no overall control, with the Conservatives as the largest party....
- Wiltshire Council election, 2001
- Wiltshire Council election, 2005Wiltshire Council election, 2005Elections to Wiltshire County Council were held on 5 May 2005. The whole council was up for election and the Conservatives held onto control.Most electoral divisions had boundary changes, and several were new, including three new two-member divisions, in Salisbury and Trowbridge.As with other...
- Wiltshire Council election, 2009Wiltshire Council election, 2009Elections to Wiltshire Council, a new unitary authority, were held on 4 June 2009.The whole council of 98 members was up for election, with each member elected in a single-member electoral division...
External links
- Christopher Newbury at the Council of Europe official site
- Christopher Newbury (photograph) at flickr.com
- Christopher Newbury at the Wiltshire Community Web
- Christopher Newbury profile at Wiltshire County Council official site
- Congress of the Council of Europe official site