Draft:Russell John Cochran

Councillor Russell John Cochran or Russ Cochran (born 6 November 1976, Rustington, United Kingdom), is an English politician and activist based in Worthing, United Kingdom. He is an elected representative to Worthing Borough Council for Northbrook ward, serving a term from 2021 to 2024 after gaining more than 50% of the vote.

Early interest in politics
Russ was elected as president of Northbrook College student union 1999–2001, during which he attended National Union of Students (United Kingdom) conference as one of only a few Conservatives representing a further education college in the UK at the time in 1999, 2000, 2001. very much against his current political grain, he was also an early supporter of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance led locally by stalwart disability activist Chris Baldwin.

Current political interests
Not always in the realm of party alignment, Russ has always maintained openness about his own lines with certain issues.

During the Brexit referendum in 2016, Russ was a staunch 'leave' voter and campaigner, highly vocal with activism locally in Worthing. Attracted to Local politics in 2019, Russ Cochran was proposed as Northbrook ward Conservative party (UK) Candidate in advance of the May 2020 Elections, which sadly, due to the Covid-19 pandemic were cancelled and held the following year in 2021 Which shortened the standard 4 year term to 3 years. this enabled him to Campaign over a 2 year period.

Even before the Covid19 pandemic Russ was advocating for a rise in NHS workers pay, with a real terms raise above inflation of around 7% plus a listed scale of bonuses.

During the cost of living crisis, since Late 2021, he has been calling for a temporary 5% cut to VAT, set at 15% until April 2025, would benefit consumers and stimulate the economy.

Disability campaigning
In 2014 he was vocal In his support to retain the Camelia Botnar centre for special education needs children, which was based in Worthing, after it had mysteriously lost its funding source from the charitable foundation of the same name in 2014.

He founded Accessible Worthing along with former mayor, Paul Baker and another former mayor, long term Liberal Democrat, County and borough councillor, Robert Smytherman, who is also the ever popular and well known Worthing town crier.

Subsequently Russ Helped a local resident to achieve their ambition raising funds for a childs Beach wheelchair for public use at Worthing Borough councils beach office

Since then Russ has also bought an adult's beach wheelchair outright, which is set to be put to use in summer 2023 in the Goring greensward seafront area of Worthing.

He is a supporter of Worthing mental health week, and during the last 4 years has regularly attended the expo and workshops that have been run annually for a week.

Youth provision
After campaigning for a Youth centre to be placed in Durrington area for some time and working alongside Worthing West MP, Father of the House (United Kingdom), Sir Peter Bottomley, Russ was pleased to see Northbrook ward granted a ring fenced share of the Department for Culture Media and Sport Youth Investment fund in 2021

He was publicly quoted as saying at the time:

"A Youth Centre in Northbrook ward, would be a massive welcome addition to the area and a flagship project for the councils social infrastructure, it would display to forthcoming generations, that Such projects can be achieved by using government funding sources correctly and install confidence in the system. Since the Rose Wilmot youth wing closed in the 1990's, Durrington has been without a dedicated youth project, where invaluable interventions and guidance may be applied in an effective manner. We face challenging times and to provide young people with their own space to express themselves within our control and realms of development as a community asset, so much could be achieved, such as a working kitchen where youths could not only learn to cook, but in conjunction with a local food bank, They could cook for their whole family, and give them a chance to sit down together and have a hot meal, work with chefs and not have the energy costs involved for one day.

As well as this such a centre could have a media studio, drop down stage and small music suite for youths to work from, an emergency Foyer 'Safe Space' that could be accessible for any youth to use by gaining entry to a secure foyer area, on camera and be monitored for their own safety"

He realises a facility such as this would have many more listed uses with local bring-ins such as Durrington community cycle project, environmental groups and youth theatre, This was something Russ had persistently sought to be put in place before the Conservative group lost control of the council.

Being highly passionate about this subject, Russ is also heavily involved in local youth football with Worthing Dynamos FC, first as a coach, as webmaster and mainly as the clubs kit officer.

He has been an active member of Worthing Play Day committee since 2012 and runs the entertainment section, providing voice over and music to all of Broadwater green, 1 day a year, every August, for all children to enjoy for free.

Public life
Councillor Cochran, sits on both Worthing Borough councils Planning and Licensing Committees and takes a highly pragmatic active interest in both subjects.

With a strong focus on a developing Northbrook Ward, Russ has overseen implementation of ongoing plans in an open Section 106 order of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 with the New West Durrington Estate also developments such as; Columbia House regeneration build, Boklok by the lake and aims to campaign to Work alongside any individuals who may have issues with new build housing as well as local residents groups, developers and council planners to bring Infrastructure Such as altering Bus routes, ensuring that any community facilities, play equipment, third party amenities and green spaces are fit for purpose.

in November 2021 Councillor Cochran was controversially Suspended as a member of the Conservative party for 6 months Whilst under investigation for alleged 'historic homophobic tweets' some time ago back in 2010

To which an extensive apology was made on social media

Following both the Councils monitoring officer and The Conservative party investigations concluding this ended in both investigations finding nothing, other than some minor content on his old personal Twitter handle, which was vastly taken out of context when conversing about football matches, with someone who was homosexual, he was never suspended as a borough councillor and his party membership was reinstated on the 8th of May 2022

Russ is the only Worthing Borough Councillor not to Draw any allowances or expenses

Personal life
Born to Dennis Cochran and Janis Cochran nee Pickles Russ has always been a resident of Worthing.

He married his Wife Joanna in Northbrook Ward at Highdown in 2009.

They have 3 children, 2 boys and 1 girl, and currently reside in the ward he represents.

In early life Russ attended both Thomas A Becket Schools in Worthing, moving onto Worthing High School 1989–1993.

During his youth he attended 8th Worthing Sea Scouts 1984–1991 and TS vanguard Sea cadet corp, Royal Marine Cadet Detachment 1990–1993, when he rose to rank of Cadet Corporal and once featured on the cover of the Royal Marines publication, Globe and Laurel magazine. He also Was the Drum major for the SCC band comprised of 18 members

Music career
Away from any current political involvement, where some may find this highly odd, Russ performed under the following monikers; Rustycee 2010–2019 or DJ Mischief 1993–2004 He has played Drum N Bass and Jungle Music around the world in various locations Sterns, Worthing. Mallorca Underground Alcudia. Mazzo, Amsterdam. UCODNB Miami. Various events at Volks nightclub, Brighton. Concorde 2 Brighton. more recently at Hope festival, London with so many more to list or mention here.

He used to present shows on Radio stations such as; Code South, Rough Tempo and Flava FM

Pub poker league
After playing in APPLE poker league from 2007, He established Uk Amateur Poker Players in 2010 (UKAPP) the league grew in pub and social club venues and players, up to a point where there were 23 venues in the UKAPP league at one point, stretching from Uckfield to Bognor East-West and Worthing to Crawley North-South A refined format of league pub poker was tested over 3 years whereby game structures, finals structure, qualification. Multi league, open invitation, large field amateur bracelet events were also held three times annually in casinos at Brighton marina, Westfield, and the Hippodrome London, where he won 2 of them himself.

Success was found in the ideology of UKAPP this was down to the ethos of; 'we are all doing the same thing, so lets record the results and feed them into the same league table' it proved to be a great way of unifying pub poker until the Covid19 pandemic and cost of living crises', like many other areas of the economy, clipped the pub poker industries wings. UKAPP is still running and the league celebrates its 10th full year in October 2023.

Support for football
He became a Worthing FC lifetime Season ticket Holder in 2021 after Worthing FC Offered the public 5 lifetime tickets in exchange for £1500 each to help the football club in their 'Future's Bright' campaign by raising funds to improve the clubs ground and facilities at Woodside Road. this was facilitated by him winning $2800 in an online poker tournament for a mere $10 stake just 48 hours earlier.

Working life experience
Before turning to politics, Councillor Russ Cochran had previously been in many positions, across Several Job roles such as; Electronics, Manufacturing, Security, Retail Management, Civil engineering and Music events.