Education and poverty are priority, says new council leader Lundie

Gordon Lundie became leader of West Berkshire Conservative party and subsequently leader of the council following his predecessor, Graham Jones’ surprise resignation in August.
Mr Lundie, who, like Mr Jones, represents Lambourn Valley ward, has previously been a member of the executive cabinet with responsibility for children’s services, and said education will remain one of his priorities.
Speaking to the Newbury Weekly News from the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham this week, Mr Lundie said: “I would like to see more focus on education. I really think we should be an excellent area for schools. I would like to see a real focus on literacy and numeracy in our schools.
“We also need a poverty strategy. We’ve got a Government directive to make cuts to welfare, which will help to reduce the deficit, but we need to support people and tackle the real issues, such as debt, addiction, broken families and education.
“The deficit is a priority but we must not make cuts in a way that makes people’s lives necessarily difficult. We have to get the balance right.”
However the 44-year-old said he was not in a position to make sweeping changes to his party’s manifesto, which helped to win the election in 2010.
“I want to deliver as much benefit to the people of West Berkshire as I can, but my first challenge is to find the money to do anything. The second challenge is trying to make sure that if I do something different that it actually works and is value for money.
“I’ve always been humbled to work in local government. There’s a lot of work that goes unseen. The council and its staff do a fantastic job in supporting a lot of vulnerable people and I would like to thank them for that.”
Mr Lundie also acknowledged that he would now be under extra pressure, not only as a councillor but as a family man and director at UCB Pharmaceuticals in Slough.
He said: “I’ve been an executive portfolio holder before so I’m not going into this role unaware of the pressures, but I cannot deny it will be a real challenge.
“Graham (Jones) managed extremely well for seven years and I will need the support and understanding from my family and employer.”
Away from his political and pharmaceutical work, Mr Lundie is married to Rose with whom he has two young sons, Jack and Harry.
He is also a keen rugby fan and used to play on the wing for London Scottish.