Ruth O'Keeffe

Christina Ruth O'Keeffe (born 9 October 1962 in Birmingham) is a British local government councillor in East Sussex, England. She is the Independent County Councillor for the Lewes Division of East Sussex County Council, and is also a member of Lewes District and Town Councils for Lewes Priory Ward.

She was educated at Tiffin Girls' School, Kingston Upon Thames, and Robinson College, Cambridge, where she read Geography and subsequently trained as a teacher. She also holds a BA in Psychology and Education, and a BSc, from the Open University.

She has taught in a variety of settings, including special schools, and also in administration to do with Special Needs in Education.

O'Keeffe became a Lewes Town Councillor in 1999 as a Liberal Democrat. After a brief exploratory time with the Green Party in 2001 she gave up party politics altogether that year. She stood in the 2003 local elections in Lewes for both Town and District Council as an Independent candidate and was elected to Lewes District Council as the third of three councillors in Lewes Priory ward. In 2005 she became County Councillor for Lewes now holding seats on all 3 councils as an Independent. In 2007 she was returned as both a Town and District Councillor topping both polls with a vote of over 2000 in each.

She is a strong supporter of environmental causes, and has done work in pursuing Fairtrade status for East Sussex.

She is also a radio presenter, co-hosting the breakfast show "Up with Dino and Ruth" on Rocket FM in Lewes [ [http://www.rocketfm.org.uk/presenters/index.html Rocket FM – Presenters] ] and is a member of the East Sussex Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC). [ [http://www.eastsussexhealth.org/team/okeeffe.html East Sussex Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) - Councillor Ruth O'Keeffe] ]

References

* [http://archive.theargus.co.uk/1999/9/30/197123.html The Argus, September 30, 1999 The Long Woman of Wilmington] "A town councillor has put forward proposals for a giant figure of a naked pregnant woman to be carved on chalk cliffs above Lewes."
* [http://archive.theargus.co.uk/2003/11/17/121734.html The Argus, 17th November 2003 - Councillor's fury at PO worker's blunder]
* [http://www.newhaventoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=509&ArticleID=1689802 Newhaven Today, 15 August 2006: Smokers face £50 fines – Smokers could be fined for dropping cigarette butts in the street.] "Lewes Independent councillor Ruth O'Keeffe said: 'If someone drops a cigarette butt and, when asked to pick it up, refuses to do so and is rude, then I think they should get an on the spot fine.'"

* [http://www.thebigtribe.org/v/2003/album19/aal.jpg.html Joelle van Tinteren and Ruth O'Keeffe at opening of the Waste Inquiry]