COUNTY COUNCILLOR STEPHEN REID
I have lived in Basingstoke all my life. I grew up in Wavell Close and went to the local state schools (Fairfield’s and Queen Mary’s Grammar). From there I gained a place at Cambridge, where I read Economics.
On leaving Cambridge, I didn’t have a career mapped out but I took the opportunity to work for Lansing Bagnall, where I started as a trainee system analyst and rose to be Systems Manager. I said I would give it a couple of years but stayed for twelve! After that I went to Spring Gove Services as IT Manager and, after being made redundant (traumatic!) took a variety of positions before fetching up at EDS which became part of HP. I retired from my IT career in 2013.
Alongside all that, I was first elected as a Borough Councillor in 1978, representing Brighton Hill and, later, Hatch Warren and Beggarwood.. I became Chairman of the Housing Committee and then Leader of the Council. During my time as Leader, we built the Anvil (of which I am very proud), refurbished the Haymarket Theatre, built the Leisure Park and started the project that would become Festival Place. Lest this makes me sound spendthrift, let me add that at the same time we made the Borough Council debt-free, which has served it well ever since.
After some attempts to stand for Parliament, I took up the chairmanship of the Save Manydown Group, where we argued on planning grounds that the proposals for developing the site were ill-judged. The inspector agreed with us.
In 2005, I was elected to Hampshire County Council where I still serve. I was a Cabinet Member for ten years, until 2022 – which means I now have had time to launch and maintain this blog!
Promoted by Stephen Reid, 34 Centurion Way, Hatch Warren, Basingstoke RG22 4TJ