Richard has been a borough councillor for Burstead Ward since 2004 and also a county councillor for the Billericay & Burstead Division since 2017. He currently sits on the Strategic Planning & Infrastructure Committee and is the Conservative Spokesman for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure. At Essex County Council, he sits on the Audit, Governance & Standards Committee, the Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee (Mid & South Essex Sustainability & Transformation Partnership), and the Place Services and Economic Growth Policy & Scrutiny Committee. Richard holds a street surgery on the last Saturday of the month, from 10am until 12 noon. Locations vary.