Isobel Ballsdon was elected onto the Council in May 2006 at the By-Election caused by Rob Wilson MP standing down from his Thames Ward councillor role.

Isobel commuted from Caversham to London working in Property before starting a family at which time she switched to locally based voluntary work. She ran both the Caversham Branch of the National Childbirth Trust and “Escape”, the parent and toddler group at Mapledurham Pavilion. When Isobel’s younger child started school she took up a part-time local job dealing with restoring old and historic buildings.

Isobel led the successful “Now Out Of Catchment” (NOOC) sibling campaign in 2001. The campaign closed a loophole caused by the Council’s failure to protect NOOC siblings from being split between primary schools after changing the catchment areas.

Isobel was Vice Chairman of the Kings Meadow Campaign, which lobbied English Heritage to get a Grade II listing for the Baths. This in turn protected the western end of the Meadow from being sold for the development of a large private 6-storey hotel, apartments and conference facilities.

With her passion for nature Isobel is an active member of Caversham GLOBE (Go Local On a Better Environment) planting hedging, doing litter clearance and, until becoming a Councillor, being the group’s Secretary.

Isobel was the Conservative’s Environment spokesman from May 2006. In May 2007 Isobel joined the Planning Committee. Isobel moved over (May 2008) to Education & Children’s Services Scrutiny, becoming the spokesman for both Children’s Services and Planning. In February 2009 Isobel came off Children’s Services but remained the spokesman for Planning.

Isobel enjoys gardening, music, sailing, swimming, and walking.