Verwood’s new mayor

Verwood Town Council has revealed its new mayor elect: Cllr Peter Richardson.

Born in 1940 in Portsmouth, Peter was educated at the grammar school, leaving in 1957 to take up a position in the City Architect’s Department. In 1963, he entered the King Alfred College of Education, Winchester and trained as a teacher, specialising in primary education.  His career took him from Hampshire  to Luton, Dorset and Wiltshire.

A past head teacher in Alderholt, he spent the remainder of his career at Laverstock, Salisbury. He became a Kennet District councillor in 1988 serving the village of Ludgershall until 2006 when he moved to Three Legged Cross. An experienced town, district and Dorset county councillor, he was first elected to Verwood Town Council in 2007 and was deputy mayor in 2010 and again in 2012. He currently chairs the Plans Consultative committee and is a member of the town council’s Finance & General Purposes Committee.

Jo Taylor will be Peter’s deputy. She  has lived in Verwood for over 15 years and worked in care including care in the community, and as a trainer for Arthritis Care. Since 2006 she has been working for a Nationally Designated Landscape Partnership as a Support Worker.She was elected onto the town council in 2011 and has been the chairman of the Finance and General Purpose Committee and has served on the Amenities and Plans Consultative committees. Jo has represented the town council on the Heathland Heritage Trust, the Memorial Hall Trust and acted as the Police Liaison Councillor. She has also served on various working parties set up to investigate dropped kerbs, a young person’s council, older people with dementia and internal audit. She attends the Local Action Group and enjoys helping to raise money for charity.

Both Peter and Jo will take on their new roles on Monday, 20 May.