ABOUT ME

It is a great honour and a real privilege to represent the people of Petersfield Hangers Division at Hampshire County Council. Hampshire is consistently one of the best County Councils in the country and we intend to keep it that way. Despite having the second-lowest Council Tax precept in the country we have strong reserves which enable us to invest in new schools, new roads and new technology. 

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I live in Petersfield with my wife Paula and three children aged between 14 and 20. I started my career in the Civil Service where I became a Grade 7 Manager in the Cabinet Office and then the Prime Minister's Office at No.10. I then worked in the Mayor's Office at the Greater London Assembly. I then spent 15 years in the private sector, working in retail, international trade and property. 

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I am passionate about Nature Recovery and feel lucky to be able to make a difference every day. I have championed the Hampshire Forest Partnership which is planting tens of thousands of trees every year. I am also working hard to rewild our verges and boost biodiversity at our Country Parks and County Farms.

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I have massively reduced my carbon footprint over the last two years, with a large solar panel array and battery at my house, an electric car, a predominantly plant-based diet and less flights. I have a retrofit insulation project underway and am exploring a ground source heat pump.  I am keen to use my public roles to help others in the community to do their bit to tackle climate change. I am proud that all three organisations I represent have declared a climate emergency and have developed detailed action plans to reduce their carbon emissions and support community decarbonisation action.

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I am playing a key role in our collective local government efforts to boost walking and cycling in our towns and villages. I am also determined to reduce speeding and deliver traffic-calming measures.

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We live in a special part of the country – conserving the natural environment and preserving the special character of our villages is central to everything that I do.

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If you have a concern about a local issue, please do get in touch via this website. I will be very pleased to hear from you.

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Thank you, Russell