Leigh lives in Sonning Common and is a passionate advocate for our local community.

Full statement

With a degree in Economics & Finance he is an experienced businessman, having held senior roles including Finance Director and Managing Director. He has been a parish councillor since 2012 and a district councillor since 2019. He has developed a strong knowledge of Planning and took a lead role in Neighbourhood Plans and in opposing the threatened Gladman development of 245 houses north of Emmer Green in 2018. He has supported many voluntary activities and from the outset has taken a major role in the winning and development of the new 4 hectare Memorial Park in Sonning Common. Leigh believes that we need our Planning to be focussed on our local, rural needs. He rejects the previous Conservative plans for a vast growth in population, degrading our special environment and adding too many 4+ bedroom “Executive” homes to our housing stock - whilst the share of 1-3 bedroom market housing was less than half what it should have been. By 2019 SODC’s finances were left in an awful mess - after years of neglect and botched outsourcing.