A Hampshire man, born in Winchester 1948, I spent my childhood in Basingstoke. My connection with Gosport started nearly forty years ago, whilst serving as a Writer in the Royal Navy. I am married with five boys between us.
I left the Royal Navy in 1975, when I went into Local Government with Gosport Borough Council, and after four years there, went to the London Borough of Richmond to run their Housing Benefits. From there I went to the London Borough of Barnet, again in charge of Benefits and also worked with Central Government on the Housing Benefit regulatory framework through the Housing Benefit Standing Committee.
1990 saw the introduction of the ill fated Community Charge, and my wife and I moved to Taunton which commenced fifteen wonderful years down there. I was Head of Revenue. I lectured for CIPFA on local government finance, and wrote training videos for the Institute of Housing. I finished my time there as Project Manager for Somerset Direct, and the ’One’ project with Central Government, which has now evolved into Job Centre plus.
During our time in Taunton, we ran a Small holding for 8 years and then took over the Village Stores at Stoke St Gregory. In that time I attended the University of Exeter and Plymouth obtaining a Post Graduate Diploma in Business and Financial Management, and went on to obtain a full Masters Degree in Business Management.
In 2005 we went to live in Spain, where I published my first novel, and was editor of the British Society of Catalunya’s magazine. We returned home to Gosport last year.
I have joined the Conservatives because they most fit my views on Government. Less government being better, less taxation, the encouragement of initiative and social responsibility.