Peter is married to Joanne and they have four grown up children and five granddaughters. He was born in Brackley, Northants on Christmas Eve 1961. His family were Dairy farmers farming in Warwickshire. The family moved to farm in Carmarthenshire in the 70s and then to Penalt, Monmouthshire in 1981. He was educated at Ystrad Tywi Secondary School in Carmarthen and then on to Carmarthen Agricultural & Technical College.
In 1990 Peter and Joanne moved to Portskewett to be dairy farmers in their own right. In recent years the enterprise has turned to livestock production growing beef cattle. Peter has also set up a small business on the farm retailing Agricultural Plastic products.
He was a founder member of the “Gwent Buyers Group” servicing approximately twenty farmers purchasing needs and also initiated a scheme to bring rural Life into the classroom at Sudbrook School integrating the whole into the National Curriculum. He has been a regular host to local schools – creating living classrooms at the farm. He has also hosted International farm visits from Romania and the Peoples Republic of China.
Peter’s political career started in 1995 when he joined the Portskewett and Sudbrook Conservative Branch where he has been the Chairman for fifteen years. He joined the Portskewett Community Council in in 1995 and has served there for twenty four years. He joined Monmouthshire County Council in November 1997 representing Portskewett & Sudbrook following the sad loss of Cllr John Parker.
Peter was the Leader of Monmouthshire County Council and held the position for thirteen years until getting elected to the Senedd in 2021. Prior to becoming Leader Peter was Deputy Leader for five years holding the Cabinet portfolio responsibility for Education in Monmouthshire.
He was also the Chairman of Sudbrook Primary School Governing Body until it’s closure and also a Governor on Caldicot Comprehensive School. He was a past Director on the Board of the Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC), a Director for Careers Wales Gwent and a Director on the Corporation of Coleg Gwent.
He held the the position of Welsh Local Government Association spokesperson for Educations for four years and is currently the WLGA Spokesperson for Innovation and Business. Peter has held many senior positions during his political career and has led many major initiatives, most notably the building of many new schools throughout the County. He has been part of the Council’s Executive Cabinet for nineteen years.
In 2013 Peter was a Ministerial appointment to the Cardiff Capital Region Board and subsequent Cardiff Capital Region Transitional Panel. In 2016 He was instrumental in negotiating and securing the £1.3 Billion Capital Region City Deal, the biggest City Deal in the U.K. He was made Vice Chairman of the Cardiff Capital Region Joint Cabinet holding the Portfolio for Business and Innovation.
Peter was awarded the OBE for services to Cardiff Capital Region in the 2017 New Year’s honours list.
When he has spare time he enjoys time with the family and going off with Joanne in their Motor Home, additional hobbies include Clay Pigeon Shooting, Motor Cycle Trials and his Fishing Boat.
