READING Borough Council has selected a new council leader following the announcement that current leader cllr Jason Brock would be stepping down.
Cllr Liz Terry has been chosen to lead and is now due to formally take up the position at the annual general meeting set for Wednesday, May 22.
Cllr Terry has lived in Reading all her life, attending Christ the King primary school and Blessed Hugh Farringdon secondary school.
She then moved on to working in the council as a pay and display clerk.
From there she rose to the office of assistant chief executive at Slough Borough Council and executive director at Oldham Metropolitan Council.
She was also chief executive of Berkshire Women’s Aid for seven years, tackling violence against women and supporting victims of domestic abuse.
She was elected as a councillor at RBC in 2012, and has acted as lead councillor for neighbourhoods, for children’s services, and for corporate services and resources.
Last year Cllr Terry took up the role of Deputy Leader from Cllr Tony Page after he was selected as mayor.
The outgoing leader, Cllr Brock, described Cllr Terry as an “exemplary” deputy.
The news follows Cllr Terry’s re-election to her seat in the Coley ward in the local elections last week.
Liz said of her start at the council: “I had just had my first child and needed work–My Mum had just taken voluntary redundancy from Gillette’s and agreed to look after the baby.
I was sent from the Job Centre to the council for an interview and was delighted to get the job.
Like many people I didn’t realise the wide range of services provided by councils and soon realised that working to provide services for local people was what I wanted to do”
Liz said: “Reading has always been my home and I have been proud to represent the people of Coley ward and becoming the Leader of the Labour Group and the Council is an honour, a privilege and a big responsibility.
“I will do my best to make sure that Reading continues to be a great place to live, work and visit and very much look forward to doing so under a government which values public services and the essential role they play in our communities.”
