Geoffrey Theobald OBE
Welcome to my website
I have lived in Brighton and Hove all my life and I was educated locally at Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School and then the College of Estate Management, London, now part of the University of Reading. I am married to Carol, also a Patcham Ward councillor and we have 2 daughters and 2 sons.
I was Mayor of Brighton in 1982-83 and Leader of East Sussex County Council from 1989-1993, continuing as Leader of the Conservative Opposition Groups on the County Council and then Brighton and Hove City Council until 2001 when I fought the General Election for the Brighton Kemptown Constituency.
I was Senior Partner of a leading provincial 12 office firm of Chartered Surveyors when in 1987 I disposed of the practice to the Prudential Corporation plc and retired as a consultant 2 years later. This has enabled me since then to hold many senior national positions in local government. Since 1992 I have been Chairman of the Board of Directors of LACORS (Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services) consisting of 9 leading councillors from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. LACORS mission is to guide, support and improve the delivery, co-ordination and consistency of local authority regulatory services.
In 1985 I was elected to represent Patcham Ward which includes Patcham and Hollingbury. Cllr Brian Pidgeon, Cllr Carol Theobald and I hold monthly surgeries at Patcham Community Centre and deliver regular "In Touches" in the Ward. As a Patcham resident if you need our assistance then please do not hesitate to contact any one of us. You can telephone me on (01273) 291195.
There are many community organisations in Patcham and between us we are involved with most of them. I attend meetings of Patcham Neighbourhood Watch and I am a member of PAIDD (Patcham Against Insensitive Destructive Development) as well as a Governor of Patcham High School.
I am also a member of Sussex Police Authority, East Sussex Fire Authority, the Local Government Association Rural Commission and of the Executive of the South Downs Joint Committee, which involves councils from Winchester to Eastbourne. I also sit on the Board of the Conservative Councillors' Association.
My other interests include most sports; I am a life member of Sussex County Cricket Club, a member of the M.C.C and a Vice-President of Brighton & Hove Cricket Club. I also enjoy gardening and travel.