Cllr Welply, a staunch Conservative was beaten at the polls last year when Richard Waller took his title. Due to the heavy work load, Mr Waller gave up his seat, and the election for Thame North began with
Mr Welply canvassing to over 1,300 homes in Thame.

"I'm delighted with the result and although disappointed with the total
turnout, which was one in five of the electorate, never-the-less, it was a convincing win and I am more than grateful for those 800 people who took the time to vote."

Mr Welply, a former RAF soldier has lived in Thame for over 30 years, after being posted to the RAF base in High Wycombe from a career of
globetrotting.

He has already started to spell out his plans for the town and the areas that are in need of change.

"I feel very passionately about Thame and the town is growing in population which is now approaching 12,000 people.

"There is a dearth of suitable facilities to meet the needs of groups in the community. There isn't much of a centre and the town has no facilities for groups like the University of the Third Age (U3A), of
which there are about 300 members now and so much so that they have had to split into two different groups and its not convenient when they went
to make presentations.

"This is what I have in mind for the cattle market, to turn it into a meeting place for the town. It would have a proper auditorium both for films and theatrical uses but also as a conference centre. There could be a piazza and it would be there to really support the town.

"Of course, all these things cost money and instead of taking it out of
the money provided by ratepayers, we could have something like car parking charges, or other ways to raise money."

Mr Welply also highlighted the need for proper car parking facilities
on the Lea Park Estate - a problem that became clear to him from his talk with residents during the canvassing process.

Brought up in the days of the Raj, Mr Welply was the son of a doctor. He lived out his school days in India and is still fluent in Urdu.

He later enrolled in the RAF and was posted all round the world on official duty. He has worked in the jungles of Malaya and later
in the Middle Eastern country of Oman.

Thirty years as a soldier in the Air Force finished when he then went to work for the Ministry of Defence as a civil servant.

He says he will support the town and work hard to provide it with a good town centre - something which he feels it is lacking.