ALTON councillor Pam Bradford is the new chairman of East Hampshire District Council. A town councillor for more than 35 years and now in her third session as a district councillor for Alton's Eastbrooke ward, Ms Bradford said she was "honoured" to have been asked to take over the chain of office. According to Lib Dem leader, Tony Ludlow, Ms Bradford brings "a wealth of experience and a casual confidence" that makes her an excellent candidate for what is an important civic role. As last year's vice chair, Ms Bradford already has a good grounding in the duties of EHDC chair, reinforced by the fact that she has been Alton town mayor three times, first in 1985/86, then 1998/99 and again in 1999/2000. Pam Bradford will be the first Alton councillor to take the EHDC chair for 20 years. Significantly, she says, when first elected mayor, she followed the late COG Smith into office and now, despite the 20-year gap, she has followed him again. "COG was the last Alton councillor to chair the district council," she said. With a key interest in housing and a member of the licensing panel, the domestic violence and building successful communities committees, Pam Bradford sees her main strength as a "people person". She was attracted to local politics for that reason and as a direct response to a challenge. "I was told there were not enough women in local politics, and I thought I would try and address that," she said. Pam Bradford is well known in the town as someone who will do her best to help solve people's problems, and says she will enjoy the role of meeting different people and attending different events in the wider district and beyond.
