Book helps Malcolm steer steady course

It shows another side of the Shropshire Council chairman, a long time politician devoted to public service, who has also written what sounds to be a humdinger of a book set in the 1600s.

He has called it Voyage to the Edge of the World, and listening to him describing its watery, stormy, murderous, treacherous, riotous plots is jaw-dropping.

It is oceans away from Malcolm's comfortable office at the Shirehall, though maybe closer to his boat moored at Cherbourg or one of the Cornish bays he and wife Sue love.

We were talking about his four years as first chairman of Shropshire Unitary Council after the big county change around.

But the introduction of his book into the conversation, with much hand waving and flashing eyes took over a bit.

Now he is confidently looking for a publisher and I'm equally confidently telling him it sounds like the plot for a blockbuster film. Oozing confidence, Malcolm said: "Yes, I'm definitely sending it to Spielberg." And he means it.

But don't expect to see the exuberant author throwing everything in for a top film-writing role any time soon. His real passion is local civic affairs, council matters and serving his communities.

So what of his time as first chairman of the new council and its particular challenges?

Malcolm says: "The biggest challenge has been having to make severe financial cuts without affecting services and we managed to do that and save £87 million."

How? "Well by restructuring and starting a new system and new way of delivering local government services which seems to be working okay. But it's always the proof of the pudding isn't it. In 2015/16, we are expecting another lot of cuts and that really will be difficult. Perhaps our biggest achievement is that we have maintained a zero council tax increase over the past four years."

Having spent most of his adult life in public service, he says: "I did consider putting myself up for Parliament once, but in the end you are only voting fodder and don't have anything like the same effect on people's lives as you do in local politics.

"Early on, my wife, said that I didn't do anything for the community and when I thought about it, she was right. I ran my businesses and was really tied up in those but what Sue said made me think.

"Our daughter had just become a Brownie and I was asked if I'd join the Albrighton Scouts, Guides, Parents and Supporters Association, there wouldn't be anything to do they said, just turn up.

"Then before the meeting, the chap who had asked me came back and said 'you are going to be the vice-chairman but don't worry, there's nothing to do.' I was pretty speechless but I went along and at that very first meeting, the chairman resigned and left me in the chair.

"So rather than having nothing to do, I suddenly found myself chairman."

He and Sue have lived on the edge of Albrighton for many years and are at the heart of its community. During that time, apart from being variously chairman of Shropshire Council, leader and Conservative group leader of its predecessor and many other roles, Malcolm has seen long service with Bridgnorth District Council and numerous other bodies like the West Mercia Police Authority as well as Albrighton Parish Council – for nearly 40 years – and too many public and community roles to mention.

Full of surprises, as well as being a keen sailor, one time scuba diver and hooked on rock collecting, he has also played the guitar for 45 years. He retired early from business life to devote more time and energies to his council work and still believes the most important thing is making a difference to people's lives.

And, now, there is his book. He said: "I wrote 87,500 words in four months and did an enormous amount of research to make sure it is as authentic as possible. I would suddenly get an idea at three in the morning so I'd get up and write it in.

"I learned as much as I possibly could about things like public transport, food, what people wore and so on." And of course, the price of a 1666 galleon.