Civic leader Ken Maddock quits politics with a sense of pride

A civic leader from Baltonsborough is stepping out of the political arena

Ken Maddock, who is also a former leader of Somerset County Council, has been a Somerset county councillor, district and parish councillor for more than a decade.

He resigned as Somerset County Council leader in April last year to stand – unsuccessfully – as a candidate for the new role of Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

He is now standing down as representative of the Mendip South ward – a position he has held since 1999 – ahead of the county council elections in May.

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He was elected leader of the Conservative group on Somerset County Council in 2007.

And he held the role of leader at the county council after the Conservatives won the 2009 local election until he stepped down from the top job last April.

He said his last term as leader had been the most challenging time for any leader of Somerset County Council for generations.

It had, he said, been "an extremely challenging period – as everyone knows from their own personal lives."

Funding from central government had been cut over that four year period by £94 million.

"You cannot lose that amount without some fall-out," he said.

During his tenure at the top Mr Maddock oversaw a huge number of redundancies, the wholesale slashing of budgets including arts and youth services and an abortive attempt to close much of the library network, which was reversed when campaigners went to the High Court and forced a council U-turn.

He said that it had been a pleasure to serve the residents of Mendip South – which includes the Avalon, Creech, Pylcombe and Vale wards – and to have worked with them over so many years.

Mr Maddock lives in Baltonsborough with his wife Sharon.

They have two grown-up sons and three grandchildren.

He said he was now very much looking forward to his retirement and devoting more time to his family and his beloved sport of cricket.

He also hopes to fulfil a long-held dream of creating a vineyard.

You can leave your thoughts about Ken Maddock's political career on our website, at www.thisissomerset.co.uk, alternatively, you can write to us at Central Somerset Gazette, Southover, Wells, Somerset BA5 1UH.

You can also e-mail us on editor@midsomnews.co.uk, or contact us on Twitter with @censomgaz.