We are honoured to welcome Cllr Jerry Keates as the new Mayor of Hungerford Town Council and Cllr Chris Hall as the new Deputy Mayor.
Cllr Jerry Keates
Jerry
has been a dedicated member of the Hungerford community since moving here with
his wife Deborah in 2015, and is now in his fifth year serving as a Town
Councillor. He joined the Council to give back to the town and is passionate
about preserving Hungerford’s rich history and strong community spirit, while
supporting thoughtful, sustainable growth within its AONB setting.
A
strong believer in collaboration, Jerry works closely with fellow councillors,
local organisations, and businesses to ensure community voices are heard. He
takes a very hands-on approach and is a familiar face around town, often
helping to organise and support key events such as the Platinum Jubilee,
King’s Coronation, D-Day 80 commemorations, REME and Constables’ Parades, and
regularly serving as MC for the Christmas Lights Switch On.
Jerry
currently chairs the Highways & Transport Committee, working closely
with West Berkshire Council, and is actively involved with the Royal
British Legion, the Chamber of Commerce, Smarten Up Hungerford, and the Town
& Manor. He is particularly keen to encourage greater participation from
veterans in Remembrance events.
Supported
by a fantastic team, Jerry looks forward to doing his very best for our
wonderful town and its residents.
Cllr
Chris Hall
Chris
is a recent addition to Hungerford Town Council, bringing with him a lifetime
of experience living and working in and around the town. His deep local
knowledge and strong community connections are invaluable assets to the
Council.
He has
practical experience in project management, having successfully built his own
home while overseeing contractors and budgets. In addition, Chris runs two
local businesses, further strengthening his understanding of the town’s needs
and opportunities.
Passionate
about preserving Hungerford’s unique beauty and character while supporting its
continued growth and modernisation, Chris is a highly welcome member of the
Council. Alongside his duties as Deputy Mayor, he also serves as Deputy Chair
of the Recreation, Amenities & War Memorials Committee.
Hungerford Neighbourhood Plan
Click here for the adopted Hungerford Neighbourhood Plan
Following the positive referendum result on the Hungerford
Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) on Thursday 27 November 2025, West
Berkshire District Council has formally made (adopted) the Hungerford NDP. The
Plan now forms part of theDevelopment Plan for West Berkshire and it
will be used to help determine planning applications in the parish of
Hungerford.
The made Hungerford NDP, Decision Statement, and declaration
of result are available to view on the Council’s website at: https://westberks.gov.uk/hungerfordnp.
See the link to our Neighbourhood Plan page for more details. https://www.hungerford-tc.gov.uk/hungerfordNP
The Plan will guide development in the Parish of Hungerford until 2041. It will be used to plan for Hungerford’s future and determine planning applications alongside the West Berkshire Local Plan.
The Plan Vision
Hungerford sits at the heart of the North Wessex Downs AONB and is treasured for being an historic market town set within beautiful and accessible countryside and waterways.
The residents of Hungerford seek to work together to embrace constructive change that ensures a vibrant, robust and sustainable economy that will enhance their prosperity and provide an affordable and nurturing environment for current and future generations.
This should be achieved whilst conserving Hungerford’s natural and manmade heritage and enhancing its strong sense of being a caring community and a fulfilling place to live.
There are chapters in the Plan under the following headings:
• Housing
• Employment and economy
• Getting about
• Leisure, Wellbeing, Public Safety and Learning
• Our heritage
• Climate change and biodiversity
In each of these there are aims, objectives and proposals.
Housing Site Allocation
The Neighbourhood Plan allocates sites to deliver a minimum of 55 dwellings to comply with the West Berkshire Emerging Local Plan. If it didn’t, then the Emerging Local Plan would do this and the community would have less say over which sites are chosen.
After careful and detailed evaluation of many sites around the town several sites were identified that represent sustainable and deliverable options.
The main stages of the Plan were:
• Formal six week consultation, early 2025 (complete)
• Public examination, (complete)
• Public referendum on the Plan, 27th November 2025 (complete)
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