A newly-elected Liberal Democrat councillor and ex-police officer says he is ‘honoured’ to be representing the residents that voted for him.

Cllr Kim Adams won 607 of the votes to take the Epping Hemnall by-election, beating the Conservative runner-up by over 200 votes last Thursday.

He has returned to the UK after spending 35 years in Hong Kong as a serious crime investigator to live near his daughter, a physiotherapist who works at St Margaret’s hospital in The Plain.

The new councillor became interested in politics in 2012 when he took part as a concerned resident in the St John’s Street supermarket protests. 

“After that this opportunity came around and Janet Whitehouse, whom I am very grateful to, sent an email around and I just found myself volunteering.”

He said: “We only have a small party presence and that demanded us to try much harder to achieve such an outstanding result.”

“I am honoured to be elected to now represent those residents on the district council. I listened to the many pressing concerns; parking, speeding, green belt development, better recreational facilities and crime on our high street.

“Some people were gruff because I had disturbed them, but others really showed how much they care for these issues.”

Using his experience as a serious crime investigator he hopes to approach the council with a ‘fresh approach’.

“People say that the violence and bad behaviour recently in the high street is from other people coming from outside to the clubs, but there are a lot of kids around that I recognise from here.”

Cllr Adams says he is looking forward to getting 'stuck in to the new position.'

He said: “I have already been down to visit a woman whose house has been literally driven into three times over the years.

Even while I was there you could see it happening again, cars were swerving by, it was ridiculous, there is so much work to be done.”