Philip has been a member of Staffordshire County Council since 1987 and Leader for 11 years from 2009 until standing down in July 2020. He has been a member of East Staffordshire Borough Council where he was Deputy Leader from 2003-2008. He was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2016.
Philip has held many positions over the years among them are Chairman of NFU Uttoxeter for 10 years, Stoke and Staffordshire LEP executive Board, Chairman of West Midlands Councils, Vice Chairman of the County Council Network from 2016 to 2019, and was a founder member of Midlands Engine, Midlands Connects and the Constellation Partnership and has been involved in many City, Town and High Street Deals. He still is a member of the Local Government Association Resources Board, European Structural Investment Fund Growth Programme Monitoring Committee and is Chairman of the Staffordshire Local Government Pension Scheme Panel
Philip represents a remarkably economically diverse division in Staffordshire because it is largely rural but contains the world headquarters of JCB, one of the UK’s leading manufacturing exporters and a brand that is known around the world, along with many successful Small and Medium Enterprises.
The need to reinvigorate the “wealth creators” in the economy is a key theme of much of Philip’s work. This includes transforming training and developing hi-tech and sustainable industries linked to outstanding research and development.
Philip is a farmer and balances his public duties with running a demanding business in a sector facing its biggest changes for 50 years after Brexit.
Philip Atkins