Rob Romans (South Ward)
Town Council Service 2019 – Present
Committees & Current Positions Held
Finance, Strategy & Management (Vice-chair), Planning
Bio
Rob has lived in Henley for 14 years and has had family links to the town since the 1940s. Rob is an HR professional who specialises in global recruitment.
Before becoming a councillor, Rob was already actively involved in the community. As a member of the Round Table, he was part of the team leading on local favourites such as the annual May Fayre and Santas Sleigh. Rob became a member of HRG because he believed in what they stood for and since being elected, Rob has used his professional expertise to help with HTC recruitment and introduced family-run bus company TK Travel, the local bus service provider.
Ask Rob
What do you enjoy most about being a town councillor?
I think it’s the opportunity to give something back and make a positive contribution to a town that we just don’t want to protect but also enhance and improve in the right ways. It’s about adding value. I never saw myself becoming a Town Councillor but being given the opportunity shows that people trust me. Being elected means being accountable for any decision that we make as a group. I’ve always taken responsibility seriously so being a Councillor naturally suits me.
How has your work experience helped you as a councillor?
I worked as a journalist before moving into human resources 9 years ago and I would say the soft skills are more important than technical ones. Good Councillors have to listen, be empathetic towards those who elect them and approach for help and work as a team. We are trusted to handle confidential material in some cases and make decisions that impact potentially a lot of people. You need to be a “people person” and that comes from developing trust. All of these skills have been honed from professional work experience. We bring together, facilitate the development of ideas, and coordinate their execution.
How does HRG manage being a team of individuals instead of following a party line?
Town or Parish councils should follow a mantra of “potholes and people” and this is exactly how council matters should be approached at such levels. We’re here for the town and not to follow instructions coming out of Westminster. Our independence is underlined by all Councillors being able to share their opinions, knowing that they will be listened to and be integral in helping us to make the right decisions for the town. We’re