Liberal Democrat Cllr Guy Pannell once used to cover council meetings but now he is one of those making the decisions.

He is both a South Hams District councillor where he is Chairman and also a South Brent Parish councillor.

At 77 Guy is the oldest member of SHDC. He was elected in 2019 and in the recent election increased his majority.

Guy used to live in London with his wife Cathie. He started his journalistic career with the Middlesex Chronicle in 1966 where he covered council meetings in West London.

The couple moved to Ivybridge in 1971 where Guy joined the Editorial team at the Western Morning News and Plymouth’s Evening Herald. Along with two other couples they founded Ivybridge Rugby Club in 1975.

Guy was interested in the world of television so joined Westward TV based at Derry’s Cross in the city and stayed on when Television South West (TSW) won the franchise in 1983.

He rose to become News Editor.

When Westcountry TV at Langage took over in 1992 Guy felt it was time to try something new.

He became a lecturer in journalism at Falmouth which started off as a post-grad course then became an MA.

Guy joined Westcountry TV for a while but left shortly after they moved the base of their 6pm programme from Plymouth to Bristol.

The couple moved to South Brent on 1976 and Guy’s wife Cathie was elected as a Liberal parish councillor in 1987. She became group leader and also a County Councillor, participating in the Alliance of the 1990s. Cathie spent a total of 28 years as a parish councillor and they knew national figures including Paddy Ashdown and Jeremy Thorpe.

Guy retired in 2010 and decided to follow his wife’s example and become a councillor.

Guy is determined that SHDC has to make a difference when it comes to affordable housing and although it’s more the domain of Devon County Council, believes more has to be done to help young people.

Guy and Cathie have a broad range of pastimes. They are volunteers at South Devon Railway and have been station masters at Staverton.

They are members of the National Trust and have helped out at Coleton Fishacre.

The couple are both into amateur dramatics, swimming and boating.

Both have been representatives on the Dartmoor National Park Authority, Guy sings in the church choir and they are members of the The Woodlands Trust and, as keen gardeners,

The Royal Horticultural Society.