Matthew Barber (politician)

Matthew David Barber[1] (born 16 February 1981) is a British politician. He is currently Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner. He previously served as Leader of the Council on Vale of White Horse District Council and Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley Police.

Matthew Barber
Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner
Assumed office
13 May 2021
Preceded byAnthony Stansfield
Thames Valley Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner
In office
16 December 2016 – 12 May 2021
Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council
In office
2011–2018
Preceded byTony de Vere
Succeeded byRoger Cox
Councillor for Steventon and the Hanneys
(Faringdon and the Coxwells 2003-2015)
In office
May 2003 – 14 March 2022
Succeeded bySally Povalotsky
Personal details
Born (1981-02-16) 16 February 1981
Political partyConservative
Websitewww.matthewbarber.co.uk

Political career

Matthew Barber was first elected to Vale of White Horse District Council on 1 May 2003 as Councillor for the Faringdon & The Coxwells Ward. Whilst the Conservatives were in opposition he became Group Whip and subsequently opposition finance spokesman. In 2004 he was elected unopposed to Faringdon Town Council. He was re-elected to the District Council in 2007.

In 2009 Barber became Leader of the Opposition following the resignation of Melinda Tilley as Conservative Group Leader. Following his marriage in 2010 he moved to West Hanney and stood for election in the Hanneys Ward. At the 2011 local elections the Conservatives took control of the District Council and Barber became Leader of the council.[2][3]

As leader of the Vale of White Horse District Council he has been nominated as a Director of the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.[4] Barber is also Chairman of the Vale4Business partnership as well as being a member of other organisations such as the Oxfordshire Growth Board, which seeks to deliver significant housing and economic growth across Oxfordshire.[5][6]

In late 2016 the Thames Valley Police & Crime Commissioner, Anthony Stansfeld, announced the appointment of Barber as Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner.[7]

Unitary authority debate

As Council Leader, Barber was amongst five district council leaders to launch a controversial proposal for unitary authorities in Oxfordshire. With the backing of the then Prime Minister David Cameron the District Council leaders proposed the abolition of Oxfordshire County Council and its replacement with a series of smaller unitary authorities.[8][9]

Personal life

Barber spent his early life in Faringdon, Oxfordshire. He was educated at Ferndale School and Cokethorpe School in Oxfordshire before reading Politics & Philosophy at Brunel University in Middlesex. After graduating from university he worked briefly for John Randall, then Member of Parliament for Uxbridge before returning to Oxfordshire.

Married in 2010, now lives in the village of West Hanney near Wantage. He and his wife have two young children.

References
  1. "Elections 2021 – Police and Crime Commissioner – Thames Valley Police Area". Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  2. "Conservatives take control of Vale of White Horse from Lib Dems". BBC News. 6 May 2011.
  3. "Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council". Vale of White Horse District Council.
  4. "OxLEP". OxLEP.
  5. "Web Hosting, Reseller Hosting & Domain Names from Heart Internet". Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  6. "Future Oxfordshire Partnership". oxfordshire.gov.uk.
  7. "PCC names his proposed deputy". 20 October 2016.
  8. "UPDATE: David Cameron backs biggest shake-up of councils in Oxfordshire since 1974". Oxford Mail.
  9. "Oxfordshire leaders in bid to scrap county council". BBC News. 25 February 2016.
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