The Worshipful the Mayor, Councillor Gordon Bailey MBE
Biography - Councillor Gordon Bailey MBE, Mayor of Test Valley 2025/26
Gordon Bailey was born in the Midlands, the son of a miner. He met his wife, Sue, in 1966 at a Police Ball and in 1969 they married and moved south to Bournemouth. Gordon joined the Round Table and found himself on a committee to form a new group on the outskirts of Bournemouth for which he became Secretary and then Chairman.
In 1975 Gordon and Sue moved to Bahrain where Gordon worked in a shipyard and they spent 28 years working between Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and the UAE in the marine sector and raising their son and daughter.
Whilst in Bahrain Gordon became a Cub Scout Leader, was part of the Rotary and founded the first Bahrain Round Table. Gordon was also on the committee of the Mission to Seafarers and helped run the Seaman’s Mission in Bahrain.
Gordon received an MBE in 2000 for services to the British Community in Bahrain.
In 2003 Gordon returned to the UK to live in Wellow and was elected to the Parish Council in the same year. He was first elected to the Borough Council, representing Blackwater Ward, at a by-election in 2005.
Gordon is proud to serve his constituents and is honoured to be the TVBC member on the New Forest National Park Committee, which is where he thoroughly enjoys walking his faithful Border Collie dog, Max, every day.