Cllr Alan Smith
Councillor Alan Smith was born in Dee Lane Chester; in 1963 he later moved with his family to Blacon.
His family has lived and worked locally for over a century. His grandfather served as Mayor of Chester in 1960; his late father served in the army during World War two.
Alan has been married to his wife Karen for 45 years they have one daughter and two grandsons.
He was educated in Blacon and later gained City & Guilds qualifications in offset printing and computer repair. After leaving school in 1978, he started work in the print industry as a process Engraver and letterpress & lithographic printer, later working for several printing establishments across the city.
Later in life, Alan retrained as an audio-visual technician while working at the University of Chester.
In 2015, he helped establish Here and Now, a social enterprise supporting older and socially isolated people, including those living with dementia.
In 2019, he co-founded Digital Buddies, with volunteers to support digital inclusion.
In 2019, Alan became Chair of the Blacon History Group, facilitating local history talks for the community.
Alan was elected as a Cheshire West and Chester Borough Councillor for Blacon Ward in 2023. He currently serves on the People’s Scrutiny Committee and the Pension Committee.
He will be supporting four local charities through various fund-raising events. The charities are: Blacon Beacon, Chester FC Community Trust, Chester Military Museum and Storyhouse.
Alan’s theme for this year is
Guardians of the City: From Roman fortress to Modern Frontline Services Honouring Chester’s Past and Supporting Those who serve to protect us.