Philip Bostock OBE DL

Honorary graduates 2014-15

Philip Bostock OBE DL (LLD)

Friday 18 July 9:00am

Philip Bostock’s 40-year career in local government began in Cheshire, and led to a range of senior planning, economic development and environmental roles in the north west of England.

He was Chief Executive of Exeter City Council from 1997 until his retirement in July 2013. During those 16 years Exeter experienced unparalleled growth, major city centre redevelopment, economic dynamism and a growing international reputation.

The University of Exeter’s major role in that success story is reflected in the close partnership working which was forged between City and University.

Philip’s education took him from grammar school in Sutton to Sussex University, where he read Economics. He then completed a postgraduate degree in Urban Planning at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. It was his great interest in the built environment, place-based action and socio-economic change that attracted him into local government.

He was instrumental in the setting up of the South West Regional Assembly in 1997, acting as its inaugural Secretary. He was appointed a member of the Government’s ‘Lifting the Burdens’ Task Force in 2006 and was a longstanding representative for south west district councils within the Local Government Association. He served for many years on the Professional Executive Committee of the Exeter PCT, and he has been a governor of Exeter College since 2010: he is now the Chair of the College Board. He is also a trustee of the Exeter Cathedral Preservation Trust.

Philip was awarded an OBE for services to Local Government in the 2006 Queen’s Birthday Honours List and was made a Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Devon in 2013.