ABERDEEN CITY COUNCILLOR - VOICE FOR THE NORTH EAST
Richard was elected to Aberdeen City Council in May 2022, and is now the Conservative Group Leader; he is also the former Conserrvative Parliamentary candidate for Arbroath & Broughty Ferry in the last General Election.
Born in Devonport, Plymouth; Richard went on to live in Arbroath, attending primary and secondary level schools before joining the Civil Service as an engineering apprentice, and has gone on to spend over 25 years in the North East of Scotland (working mainly in Aberdeen's Oil and Gas sector, and a 3rd-Sector Social Action Charity).
A former shipyard worker, Richard worked his way from the shopfloor through to senior management, gaining degrees in Law, Politics, Science and Divinity. Today he is a Director, and Engineering Manager in a Multi-national company.
His ongoing interest in social action and social justice led him to study law and to start the social action charity TLC in June 2002, believed to be the first exclusive Foodbank in Scotland. Richard continues to be aware of deprivation often neighbouring great wealth, which fuels his national-commitment to see long-term solutions, and his Northeast-commitment to see near-term change.
His efforts have been relentless in alleviating deprivation and social isolation throughout the last 20+ years, and through the double-national award-winning work of TLC, he has now seen over 100,000 people helped in the Northeast, a work that he and his wife Amy have been commended for at Holyrood on two seperate ocassions.
Elections and a close view of local & national goverment.
In May 2022, against a challenging post-COVID backdrop, Richard ran and was duly elected as a Conservative and Unionist Councillor in one of the wards on the Southside of Aberdeen (Kincorth, Nigg and Cove).
Since then, Richard has seen firsthand that the SNP do not listen to the people. In cities like Aberdeen they have introduced bus gates and LEZs, driving the local economy into the ground, rendering Aberdeen city centre a barren shadow of its former self. Theyve closed swimming pools, libraries and attempted to defund major 3rd sector organisations. And now nationally, the SNP are presiding over the highest child poverty in Europe, the highest drug related deaths in Europe, the highest number of foodbanks per population in the UK, the lowest resourced police force in the UK, the worst educational attainment in the UK, a failing Scottish NHS, a failed Gender Recognition Bill, a failed Deposit Return Scheme, unworkable Hate Crime legislation... you could say "everything they touch goes wrong" They are leaving a legacy of millions of pounds wasted (and thousands of pounds missing).
It was when Richard saw the ill thought-out child poverty bill and the increased deprivation in the North East whilst politicians bickered for months on end, that he knew he needed to bring his experience and expertise to the table, starting at the grass roots level of politics.
Today Richard is turning up volume across the North East, holding the SNPs feet to the fire until they are willing to hear the people's voices and take approriate action; No amount of spin can save the SNP now - they are a chaotic party creating disaster and disfunction both locally in the North East and nationally across our once great country.
WHY POLITICS? Not just another Politician : Through every challenge and success, Richard has worked with people of all generations and vocations to see positive change happen. Much of this has rightly been under the radar and without a political agenda. However, there are hundreds of thousands of people out there that need to be heard now. Richard is using politics as the megaphone to get your voice heard.
So at election time "I'd ask you to notice the difference between the promises of many who say they will do lots, and the few who have already done it for years."
For the sake of your town, city and region, select the one who has already delivered and has a proven record of doing it time and time again!
Name | Richard John Brooks |
Date of birth | July 10th |
Location | North East Scotland |
rick@richardbrooks.org | |
Phone | +44 (0)7595 221 068 |
Qualifications | B.Div(Hons), M.Sc(Eng) M.Res(Politics) LLM (Law) English and Scottish Universities. |
Interests and Experience | Anti-Poverty action; Economic Development and Transformation; Social Action/Justice; Energy Transition & Energy Security; Education and Lifelong Learning. |
Pet hates | Inequality, Racism, Homophobia, Exclusion and Dishonesty; |
Hobbies | Football (avid spectator and supporter: specifically Cove Rangers and Arbroath); Rugby Union (International); Music; Research and learning. |
Affiliations | Burgess of the Guild, City of Aberdeen Aberdeen University General Council Board Chartered Engineer (Engineering Council), Chartered Physicist, (Institute of Physics) Chartered Marine Engineer (IMarEST) Member of the Institute of Government & Policy |
Credibility and Action through a genuine Voice for the People | CREDIBILITY : Performance not just Promises When Richard has promised in the past, it has been fulfilled. Too many politicians make promises they never fulfil - dont let them get away with it! Let's not lean our whole life on the promises of others. Let's measure and celebrate what has been done by an individual and a community as priority. There are too many that have been ejected, dejected and rejected by today's society. Richard continues to work hard to narrow the chasm between those who have and those who have not. Most people do not want a hand-out, they simply need a hand-up. This is both Richard's historical achievements and continued goal. |
ACTION : Listening and Acting History has recorded that Richard has not just listened to the people, he has fought and brought change. Richard has founded various community projects: for children (School Breakfast clubs), for those in crisis (Foodbank delivery), the socially isolated (Aberdeen-South Befriending Project) and for being on the front line of over 100,000 food parcels (that's 900,000 meals!) reaching the North East's most needy. Richard has also helped steered and bridged the multi-generation gaps through various projects like the 'ProjectAberdeen' Heritage Project 2018-2019; and continues to push for social and economical changes in both the North East and the nation as the opportunities afford themselves, through hand-ups not just hand-outs. | |
#BackBrooks
© 2024 Copyright. RichardBrooks.org | Promoted by J Bennett on behalf of Richard Brooks, both of East Balmirmer, Arbroath, DD11 2PN