Roy Galley is the East Sussex County Councillor for Maresfield and Buxted, representing the parishes of Buxted ; Danehill ; Fletching ; part of Forest Row ; Isfield ; Maresfield.
Roy, and his wife Helen, have lived in Nutley since 1995.They have two married children and three grandsons. He has extensive experience in business and politics, having been the Member of Parliament for Halifax from 1983 - 1987 and the Chairman of a Health Authority for 10 years. He retired from a senior position in Royal Mail in 2006.
He was elected to East Sussex County Council in 2013 when he was appointed to the East Sussex Fire Authority and became Chairman of the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education. He held several Committee posts including chairing the Corporate Parenting Panel which monitors the Council work in looking after disadvantaged children.
In 2019 he was elected as Chairman of the East Sussex Fire Authority which covers Brighton and Hove City as well as the County Council area. In this role he has steered the service through some difficult operational and financial issues.
In 2024 Roy was elected as Chairman of East Sussex County Council and had to step down from his roles in Sacre and the Fire Authority.
From 2006 to 2011 Roy was a member of Maresfield Parish Council and was elected to Wealden District Council in 2007. From 2008 to 2013, he was the council's portfolio holder for Planning and Development. His main responsibility was to produce a Local Plan for Wealden which sets out what development will go where throughout the 323 square miles covered by the Council. The Local Plan was adopted by the Council in November. The emphasis of the Plan was to ensure an adequate supply of housing and business opportunities whilst preserving the distinctive rural nature of the area. He believes that the key principle is to have the right development in the right place. He was also responsible for managing the planning application process and for economic development.
In 2013 he took on a new portfolio for Economic Development and Regeneration. He sought to make it easy for businesses to access the right advice, raise the profile of our unique area and ensure the delivery of new infrastructure projects such as those implemented in Uckfield and Hailsham.
He was re-elected in 2015 with an increased majority and then held the portfolio for Economic Development and Waste Management until he left the Council in 2023
Roy was an elected Commoner Conservator for the Ashdown Forest from 2008 to2018 and Chairman of the Board from 2013 to2016. He has been keen to improve the way the Forest is managed and to ensure good relationships between the staff of the Board of Conservators and local residents.
Roy is also a founder member and Chairman of the Chelwood Gate and Danehill Village Markets committee who run quarterly markets as a community focus and to showcase local produce.This committee also now organises tea parties for elderly people in the two villages twice a year.
