Neil has lived in Newport for 30 years. A district councillor since 2015, he is a Chartered Accountant and is UDC Deputy Leader and portfolio holder for Finance and Budgets, and sits on the UDC Investments Board. He chaired the steering group for the successful Newport Quendon & Rickling Neighbourhood Plan, and is now working on a refreshed version.
“I am working to implement better policies to enhance and develop our ward and district, and to support local residents and their communities.” Neil Hargreaves
- Uttlesford District Newport Ward (Councillor)
Originally from Lancashire, Neil Hargreaves has lived in Newport for 30 years and his three children went to both Newport schools. He has used his accountancy skills to serve the community in various roles including Treasurer of the Friends of St Mary’s Church and Treasurer of the Newport Scouts. He is a regular contributor to the award winning Newport News village magazine, and is an administrator of the popular Newport Newsline Facebook group. He chaired the steering group for the successful Newport, Quendon & Rickling Neighbourhood Plan, and is now working on an updated version. He is active on planning and local community concerns.
After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, Neil moved with his wife to Kenya, where their son was born. After returning to London he worked for a large accountancy firm and then in the insurance industry. He managed a large accounts department, IT projects, and outsourcing contracts, and was Treasurer of a reinsurance broker. After moving to Chelmsford and then Newport, Neil commuted to London and to Norwich. During this time his wife worked as an Occupational Therapist and in a dispensary in Saffron Walden and Addenbrookes. Now retired, Neil’s final accountancy position was with a US balloon manufacturer in Bishops Stortford.
Neil is a keen photographer, is a member of CPRE, and is out every day walking his Beagle around the villages in the ward.
Where we live is rightly shown in surveys as being one of the best places in the country. He believes that development, both commercial and housing, can enhance the district if well planned and coordinated with good infrastructure and the services needed to support a larger population.
Being increasingly worried about the Westminster party politically driven system running the council and the small core of councillors who ran it, Neil stood for election as a district councillor for the Newport ward in 2015 and was elected. He immediately set to work to sort out issues raised on the doorstep and has been able to implement a new speed sign, a major road sign project to stop the frequent bridge strikes in Newport, and an extension to a 30mph limit to protect a new housing estate.
When R4u took charge of UDC in 2019, Neil became the portfolio holder for Finance and Budgets. He is also Deputy Council Leader.
Neil and fellow councillor Judy Emanuel hold weekly councillor surgeries in Dorringtons in Newport, is active on the local Facebook groups, and attends the parish council meetings in the three villages in the Ward.
