Cllr David Leeks is the new Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane following a Mayor Making ceremony at the Civic Offices last night (Thursday 11 May).

Cllr Leeks has served as a borough councillor for the Tadley area since 1995, firstly representing Tadley South and then more recently Tadley and Pamber after the boundary changes in 2021. He will represent the borough at events during the year supported by the Mayoress, his wife Amanda.

Cllr Leeks previously served as Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane in 2011/12 and was also a previous Chairman of Tadley Town Council.

The Mayor has announced that his focus for the year will be community volunteering. The Mayor and Mayoress have a long history of volunteering and have seen first hand the benefits it can bring to the individual, the charity and the community, particularly those who need extra support.

Cllr Leeks said: “I join a small but wonderful band of people who have had the great honour of serving Basingstoke and Deane as Mayor twice, and it is just as much a privilege today as it was in 2011.

“To be elected as the 72nd Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, the 45th Mayor since the establishment of our borough, is very special and I am looking forward to meeting as many people of all ages and backgrounds in as many places around the borough as I can.

“As the first citizen of the borough, I am glad to be picking up His Majesty King Charles III’s Coronation theme of the importance of volunteering for my year in office. I believe that volunteering helps people to appreciate the challenges faced by others and encourages empathy and understanding of each other, leading to closer and happier communities.”

Cllr Leeks was born in Basingstoke and went to school in Tadley. When he was a child he contracted polio which left him with no muscle in his left leg and weakness in his left hip. He worked initially within the grocery business before joining the civil service and finally becoming a stay-at-home parent.

Cllr Leeks has been married to Amanda for 38 years. Having met as volunteers for the Samaritans, they have a shared, long-standing love of volunteering and are passionate about encouraging others to experience the personal and community benefits it can bring.

He was a founding member of Atomic Weapons Establishment Local Liaison Committee, former Chairman of Tadley Community Association, the former national Chairman of The British Polio Fellowship and is currently Chairman of the local branch. He is also a trustee of the Ambrose Allen and Turbury Allotments and is Life President of Tadley singers.

Cllr Leeks has also launched his charity appeal for 2023/24 supporting local good causes that are close to his heart – Shopmobility Basingstoke, Citizens Advice Basingstoke and Citizens Advice Tadley.

Cllr Leeks was involved with Shopmobility Basingstoke for many years as a volunteer. The charity supports people with restricted mobility, whether temporary or otherwise. It hires out mobility aids to improve access around the town centre and local facilities.

Citizens Advice Basingstoke and Citizens Advice Tadley are local charities providing free, life-changing advice to vulnerable people, who may be at risk of losing their homes, unable to keep warm or struggling to provide food for their families.

The Deputy Mayor for Basingstoke and Deane during 2023/24 is Cllr Dan Putty and his consort is Marie-Noelle Marion-Stephen.

More information on the Basingstoke and Deane Mayor is on the webpage www.basingstoke.gov.uk/mayor