Cllr Ian Hudspeth previously ran hardware shops in London but now concentrates on local government work. He first joined Bladon Parish Council in 1998, becoming chairman in 1999 before leaving in 2009. In 2002 Ian was first elected to West Oxfordshire District Council as the ward member for Woodstock & Bladon and was re-elected in 2004 & 2008. In 2003 he was promoted to the Cabinet with responsibility for Health & Community Safety which included implementing the new licencing regulations. He stepped down from the cabinet in 2006 due to County Council commitments.
In 2005 he was elected to Oxfordshire County Council for the Woodstock division. He was promoted to the Cabinet in 2007 with responsibility for all forms of transport in Oxfordshire. and later to Growth & Infrastructure. In 2012 he was elected Leader of Oxfordshire County Council. Since then he has led the council through significant national and local debates, ensured the Oxfordshire City Deal (£200m), and Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal (£215m) were agreed by local and national partners, and engaged actively on the opportunities of ‘Smart Oxford’, including testing autonomous vehicles, vehicle to grid charging, and Oxford as a ‘living laboratory’. He is currently working with local partners and central government to secure a Housing Infrastructure Fund (£310m) to deliver the infrastructure for Oxfordshire’s fast-growing communities.
