Margaret Bird is honoured to have been elected as the Conservative Councillor in the new ward of Old Coulsdon having represented Coulsdon East since 2014 , She has lived in Old Coulsdon for over 38 years. Her 3 children were educated in Old Coulsdon, She was a Compliance Manager for the Conservative Party until 2010, has been Acting Chair, Deputy Chair and Treasurer of the Conservative Women’s Organisation. She is on the Management Committee of the Saffron Valley Federation, the PRU's for Croydon, member of the Learning & Quality Committee at Coulsdon College and a member of the Hub Council at Oasis Academy Coulsdon.
On Croydon Council Margaret is on the Licensing Committee, is Deputy Cabinet Member Families Health and Adult Social Care, is a member of the Health & Wellbeing Board, Health, Social Care and Community Cabinet Member Advisory Committee, Croydon Adult Safeguarding Board, Autism Partnership Board. She attends the Health & Care Board and stands in for Cllr Yvette Hopley when needed.
Margaret was an Independent Review member and Chair of School Admissions & Exclusions panels for Croydon schools for over 11 years before being elected as a Councillor and is particularly passionate about every child’s right to receive an outstanding education. She was a founder member of the group who campaigned to successfully keep the Bowling Green in Coulsdon Memorial Park open by using volunteers and founded the Christmas Lights in Old Coulsdon (CLOCfg) group to raise funds for Christmas Lights in Old Coulsdon. She is also Vice Chair of Friends of Farthing Downs and attends Old Coulsdon RA (OCRA) and Hartley and District RA (HADRA) meetings. She also works with East Coulsdon Residents Association (ECRA) and CAT (Community at Tollers).
Margaret was Chair of the Old Coulsdon and Coulsdon Town Safer Neighbourhood Ward panel for over 5 years.