Anne Jobson is currently Conservative Group Leader of Exeter City Council. She has lived in the area for almost 20 years, first in St Thomas before moving to north Exeter. She is a barrister, specialising in family law, and has spent many years helping clients through some of the hardest days of their lives.
Anne has been involved in Conservative Party politics for nearly 40 years now and was an Association and Area Officer in London. She was a Joint Treasurer for the Greater London Area for 3 years and served on the National Union of the Conservative Party. Anne has stood for Parliament 3 times including standing for the Exeter constituency in 2001. Anne was proud to be awarded the OBE in 1992 for Political and Public Service.
Anne believes that the voluntary party membership is the foundation on which the Conservative Party is based and is keen to hear from anyone who lives or works in Exeter who would like to join the party. Anne is always out and about delivering leaflets or canvassing and welcomes the opportunity to chat.
Anne works closely with the hard-working Conservative councillors who sit on both Exeter City Council and Devon County Council and is always happy to hear from any Exeter residents about local issues of concern. “Our councillors are a hard working group and their work is so often unnoticed. Our Conservative councillors are dedicated to helping local residents and I hope that in future elections we will increase our numbers until we are able to take control of the Council. Our current Labour Council is increasingly out of touch with the views of local people – whether it is the colossal spend on a swimming pool that they are forcing through, or their failure to listen to local views about the constant increase in purpose-built student housing in the city centre, when residents want to see homes for the current and future generations of people who live and work in Exeter.”
She also adds: "We are a campaigning Association. We want to know your views on our national policies as they develop. We want to know what you want to see done locally – however small an issue we will always do our best to help. If you want to get involved please join us and let us know how you can help."
Anne was re-elected as councillor for St Loyes in May 2024, after a successful campaign to suspend the Heavitree & Whipton LTN scheme.
Outside work and politics, Anne has a variety of interests, including falconry, walking her excitable springer spaniel (Disraeli), dance and gardening.