Richard began his career in the engineering office at Associated British Ports, Lowestoft. He prepared drawings, engineering documents, tenders and contracts for various works within the port estate.
He joined Norfolk County Council in 1989, where he spent 18 years. He worked as a Highways Development Control Officer and later with the Waste Management Team, looking after the county’s recycling centres.
Richard retired from his role as Service Manager for Suffolk Coastal and Waveney District Councils in 2017. He had represented both authorities on joint venture and partnership boards for outsourced services, including waste and recycling collections, the management and operation of leisure centres, and asset management of council properties.
More recently Richard completed a short term with Great Yarmouth Borough Council in the Planning and Growth Team. This looked at vacant commercial and domestic properties within the Borough and how best to encourage the owners to return them to use/occupation.
I believe that a society should provide some form of social housing and that it fulfils a vitally important sector of the housing provision. The opportunity for people to rent good quality properties coupled with a regulated and fair system of rent increase is essential.