Richard Brooks
Richard J. Brooks (born 10 July 1967) is a Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party politician who is a councillor for the Kincorth/Nigg/Cove ward on Aberdeen City Council since May 2022.[1] He is the Leader of the Conservative Group on the council.[2] Brooks was also the Scottish Conservative and Unionist candidate for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry in the 2024 United Kingdom general election.[3][4] Alongside his political activity, Brooks works in the energy sector as a chartered engineer, and is the co-founder of TLC (The Lighthouse Centre), a Scottish anti-poverty charity.[5]
Early life and career
Brooks was born in Devonport, Plymouth, before moving to Scotland.[citation needed] He grew up in Arbroath, Angus, where he attended primary and secondary level schools.[citation needed]
He began his career as a shipyard worker and joined the Civil Service as an engineering apprentice, eventually working his way up to senior management.[citation needed] He spent over 25 years working in the North East of Scotland, predominantly in Aberdeen's oil and gas sector. He holds professional designations as a Chartered Engineer (Engineering Council), a Chartered Physicist (Institute of Physics), and a Chartered Marine Engineer (IMarEST).[citation needed] Today, he serves as a corporate engineering manager in a multinational energy sector company.[6]
Brooks has continued pursuing higher education alongside his professional career, gaining degrees in Divinity - B.Div(Hons), Engineering - M.Sc, Politics - M.Res, and Law - LLM.[citation needed]
Political career
Aberdeen City Council
Brooks was elected to the Aberdeen City Council in the May 2022 Scottish local elections, representing the Kincorth, Nigg, and Cove ward.[7] He was subsequently appointed as the Leader of the Conservative Group on the council, serving as a primary opposition voice to the SNP and Liberal Democrat coalition administration.
As a councillor, Brooks sits on several key committees:[1]
- Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee
- Council
- Education and Children's Services Committee
- Finance and Resources Committee
- Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee
- Urgent Business Committee
Brooks also represents the council on external bodies:
2024 UK general election
Brooks was the Scottish Conservative and Unionist candidate for his childhood home constituency, Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, in the 2024 United Kingdom general election.[3][4] He campaigned on platforms of local investment, boosting tourism, and supporting the regional economy against SNP policies. He was ultimately unsuccessful, with the seat being won by the SNP's Stephen Gethins.
Political positions and campaigns
Poverty and social action
A long-standing advocate for social justice, Brooks co-founded the charity TLC in June 2002 alongside his wife, Amy.[10] TLC is widely recognised as the first exclusive food bank in Scotland[11] and has grown into a multi-award-winning organisation, including Prestige Scottish Charity of the Year,[12] that runs school breakfast clubs, befriending services,[13] youth clubs, and food crisis campaigns.
For his philanthropic work, Brooks has met with King Charles III and Queen Camilla and received national recognition,[10] including commendations from the Scottish Government.[14]
He frequently pushes for stronger local and national governmental action on child poverty, which affects an estimated 20% of children in Aberdeen.[15]
Energy
Brooks, as leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist group on Aberdeen City Council, argues that the UK should leverage Aberdeen’s expertise and resources to pursue "maximum extraction" from the North Sea. He contends that utilising these domestic reserves is essential to "minimise and eradicate the need to import energy," especially as global conflicts destabilise supply chains. Brooks further warns that Aberdeen’s standing as the "energy capital of Europe" is being severely undermined by the "presumption against oil and gas" held by both the SNP and Labour governments. By advocating for a shift away from what critics call a "net zero obsession," Brooks emphasises that prioritising local production is a matter of both economic survival and national security.[citation needed]
Council Tax
Following the 2026 Aberdeen council tax rising by 9.85%, Brooks raised his voice in anger that the ruling group continue to “raise taxes and deliver less” and “You can frame that however you want, but £9.99 is a tenner in my language... And 9.85 is 10%".[16]
Local infrastructure and transport
Brooks has been a vocal opponent of the SNP-led council's transport policies, most notably leading the campaign against the controversial experimental bus gates, the Low Emission Zones (LEZ) introduced in Aberdeen city centre,[17] and the failure of the Hydrogen buses, stating, "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that this was on the horizon... I think the administration should come out and apologise to the public. They've backed the wrong horse".[18] He has argued that the measures have severely damaged the local economy, alienated the public, and reduced footfall for city centre businesses.
In June 2025, Brooks criticised Aberdeen City Council’s SNP–Liberal Democrat administration over policies linked to the Aberdeen Rapid Transit project and called for the removal of city centre bus gates introduced in 2023. He argued that the restrictions were negatively affecting city centre businesses and trade.[19][20]
Brooks has been a vocal supporter of the campaign to save the existing football pitches, where plans for a new sports facility in Aberdeen have been put on hold following a significant community backlash regarding the potential loss of a youth football pitch.[21]
Housing and RAAC crisis
Brooks was heavily involved in fighting for fair compensation for homeowners affected by the Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) housing crisis in the Balnagask area of Aberdeen. He consistently pressured the council administration to offer pre-RAAC valuations to affected residents, a policy the council eventually adopted after nearly two years of campaigning.[22] Brooks also called for the first ever full-council minute silence following the death of a RAAC campaigner.[22]
Education and child safety
Sitting on the Education and Children's Services Committee, Brooks has frequently challenged the council administration over the safety and management of Aberdeen's Early Learning Centres (ELCs).[23][24]
Following critical Care Inspectorate reports detailing unsupervised children and poor facility security, he successfully passed motions requiring urgent investigations and improved safety standards across the council's ELC estate.[25]
Aberdeen F.C. stadium proposal
In October 2025, Brooks supported progress on proposals for a new Aberdeen F.C. stadium at Aberdeen Beach, following discussions between council leaders and the club’s leadership, including chairman Dave Cormack.[26] Brooks said the club’s economic figures would “blow you away” and argued that the council administration was “under pressure” to progress a deal before the 2027 local elections.[26] He stated that the club were "not expecting the council to foot the bill for all this. This is not the way they’re approaching it.”[26] for the stadium and would seek investors and sponsors, describing the proposed development as a community stadium requiring partnership between the club and the council.
Honours
Brooks is a Burgess of Guild of Aberdeen, a civic title recognising contribution to the community and professional standing in the North East of Scotland. He was admitted to the Guild as a "Community Leader" in 2017[27] in recognition of his 20+ years of philanthropic work, particularly his role in founding TLC, Scotland’s first exclusive food bank.
Personal life
Brooks has been married to his wife, Amy, for over 30 years, and together they have three children. They are also active Elders of the local church.[28]
He is also a keen football fan and regularly attends Aberdeen FC matches, and is a season ticket holder at Cove Rangers.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Councillor Richard Brooks". Aberdeen City Council. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
- ↑ "Richard Brooks". Aberdeen City Conservatives. 2022-01-25. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Election result for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry (Constituency) - MPs and Lords - UK Parliament". members.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Arbroath and Broughty Ferry - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ↑ "TLC | Foodbank & Befriending Services | Aberdeen". TLC - Primary Site. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
- ↑ "Rick Brooks - Corporate Engineering Manager / TA at Petrofac". THE ORG. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ↑ "Aberdeen City Council". aberdeencity.gov.uk. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ↑ "COSLA Convention". Aberdeen City Council. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
- ↑ "Grampian Valuation Joint Board". Aberdeen City Council. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "The founder of Scotland's first food bank: 'Children are obviously malnourished'". The Herald. 2024-10-27. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
- ↑ Britton, Ruaraidh (2024-04-06). "Founders of Aberdeen and Scotland's first exclusive foodbank step down after 22 years". Aberdeen Live. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ↑ Andonova, Denny (2023-01-29). "Aberdeen foodbank crowned Scottish Charity of the Year". Press and Journal. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
- ↑ "Befriending | Tlc | Aberdeen". TLC - Primary Site. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
- ↑ "The Scottish Parliament". www.parliament.scot. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ↑ "Child poverty in Scottish local authorities". SPICe Spotlight | Solas air SPICe. 2025-06-05. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ↑ "CONFIRMED: Aberdeen council tax to rise by 9.85% as finance boss 'knocks off 0.15% in failed bid to trick public'". Press and Journal. 2025-03-05. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
- ↑ "A local update from Cllr Rick Brooks". Aberdeen City Conservatives. 2025-05-16. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ↑ "Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed?". BBC News. 2026-02-27. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
- ↑ Andonova, Denny (2025-06-07). "Doubts over 'dead in the water' rapid transit plan spark fresh calls to axe Aberdeen bus gates needed for project". Press and Journal. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
- ↑ "'Maths geek' councillor tells bus boffins £323m rapid transit plan for Aberdeen 'doesn't add up'". Press and Journal. 2025-06-10. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
- ↑ Loudon, Calum (2026-02-13). "Plans for sports facility halted after backlash over football pitch loss". STV News. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Topp, Kirstie (28 October 2025). "Silence for Torry homeowner who died amid Raac crisis as council votes to end 20 months of misery with cash offers". Press and Journal. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
- ↑ Topp, Kirstie (2023-09-14). "Children still at risk of escaping from Aberdeen nurseries". Aberdeen Live. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ↑ Roy, Cameron (2023-05-24). "Aberdeen city councillors discuss what went wrong after shock nursery inspection results". Press and Journal. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ↑ Topp, Kirstie (2022-11-09). "Council to 'review door security' after toddler left nursery unnoticed". Aberdeen Live. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Buchan, Isaac (7 October 2025). "Council urged to get deal done on Aberdeen Beach stadium plan – as rival reveals how Dons 'would like to see Pittodrie land transformed'". Press & Journal. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
- ↑ "Issue - items at meetings - Admission of Burgesses". committees.aberdeencity.gov.uk. 2017-08-14. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ↑ "Staff and Leadership". www.christcentral.tv. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
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