Abbey Ward

Councillor Tony Page has served on Reading Council as a Labour Councillor since 1973, without break. Since 2008 he has been Deputy Leader of Reading Borough Council and Lead Member for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport. Prior to that he was Cabinet Member for Corporate Resources, and then Communities and Neighbourhoods.

He was Chair of Reading Buses – one of 14 remaining Council-owned bus companies in the country – from 1986 until Christmas 2005.

He has represented the Council on the Local Government Association since its inception in 1997 and until 2012 was a member of its Environment and Transport Board. He sat on the Ministerial Bus Forum from 1997 until 2012 and chaired the LGA Task Force, which produced their policy on school transport. He also served on the Task Force responsible for the LGA policy on Road Pricing.

Since 2012 he has been a member of the LGA Safer Communities Board and in his capacity as LGA Licensing Champion in 2014 he chaired the LGA Betting Commission charged with developing detailed policy in respect of the clustering of betting shops and related issues.

From 1997 to 2012 he represented Reading on the Thames Valley Police Authority. Since the abolition of the TVPA he has been Reading’s representative on the Police and Crime Panel responsible for holding the Police and Crime Commissioner to account.

He represents Reading on the South East England Councils and is Leader of the Labour Group and Vice Chairman of SEEC. He also represents Reading on South East Strategic Leaders representing all the counties and unitary authorities in the South East.

In the May 2005 General Election he failed to win the Reading East parliamentary seat by just 475 votes.

I have lived in Reading for over 40 years and started my career working in the retail industry for ten years in 1976; for the last 26 years I have been a self-employed Hackney Carriage driver.

I am happily married with five children and have voluntarily worked for the Pakistan Community Centre helping to organise various events for the local community. I am currently Branch Secretary for the Transport General Workers Union and I am also involved in many case studies with reference to all Hackney Cab drivers.

My interests include playing cricket and badminton, watching several sports and listening to classical music.

In 2006 I stood for Minister Ward and lost by a very slight margin.

Through canvassing and distribution of leaflets for the Labour Party I have been able to interact with the community, introduced myself as a future candidate and in 2007 I was  successfully elected as a Councillor for Abbey Ward.

I have one son, now an adult.

I am a very keen walker and my bike is my preferred mode of local transport, I also enjoy yoga and cinema.

I like to do something creative – beading, dressmaking, knitting. Love craft fairs and handmade, individual goods and textiles- dislike shopping, avoid buying from sweatshops.

I have been a Councillor since 2002 – I am keen to promote environmental issues, especially through local campaigns. I am also keen to build up our local communities in Reading and get more people involved in working within their own community – however they define that.

I am a trustee of the Newtown Information and Support Service (formerly the Rupert Square information Shop) project in Newtown, of Reading Refugee Support Group and of Reading Citizens Advice Bureau.

I currently work to protect our NHS by serving as a governor of Royal Berks Hospital trust and Berks Healthcare Trust.

I have lived in Africa for 5 years and visit when I can, though my carbon budget constrains travel now. I am convinced that those concerned with the environment and sustainable future agenda must work together with those concerned about poverty in the world. These agendas must be convergent, not crossed or parallel.