A COUNTY council shake-up has seen a long-serving councillor step aside from frontline politics for a ceremonial role.

Cllr Keith Chapman, 72, has stepped down as executive member for culture or recreation or self-styled 'minister of fun' after four years.

It comes after he was awarded an MBE in the New Award Honours for decades of services to arts and culture.

He will now become county council vice-chairman.

King’s Somborne county councillor Andrew Gibson will take his place. Also joining the cabinet is Patricia Stallard who will take up a role as executive member for public health.

Cllr Chapman’s new role will see him as deputy to Cllr Jonathan Glen who was elected as the new chairman, taking over the chain of office from Cllr Colin Davidovitz.

The ceremonial post involves ensuring the members stick to rules, like the speaker of the Houses of Commons, and that they remain a strong forum for debating issues.

The chairman also represents the county council on royal visits and ceremonial occasions as well as other civic activities and duties.

Cllr Glen has chosen a theme of ‘freedom and democracy’ for this year.

Speaking after his election as chairman, he said: “I'd like to thank all the councillors for their support and faith in me, which is not taken for granted. It is a great honour and I will carry out this duty in a manner that is fair to all."

Cllr Glen, pictured below, has lived in Hampshire for 33 years, and brings nearly three decades of local government experience to the role of chairman.

Daily Echo:

His career in public service began as a Hart district councillor in 1991 (serving as chairman of Hart from 2002 to 2003), and as a county councillor from 1997 – serving the Odiham division for the last 18 years. Within the county council, he previously held separate periods of cabinet office as executive member for environment, human resources, and economic development.

Born in Scotland, he studied modern languages at the University of St Andrews, before beginning his career with the Ministry of Defence.

From there, he joined the De La Rue & Company Limited, the banknote and security printers based in Basingstoke, and later joined the financial services sector – setting up his own company in 1999.

Taking up his chain of office, Cllr Glen paid tribute to out-going chairman, Cllr Davidovitz, thanking him for his generous support and guidance in his role as vice-chairman.

Cllr Davidovitz’s highlights as chairman during 2014/15, included a number of events to commemorate key dates in the nation’s history.

This saw the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo commemorated along with the centenaries of the outbreak of World War One and Gallipoli, the 75th anniversary of the outbreak of World War Two, and the 70th anniversary of D-Day and VE Day.