Two former councillors are to be made honorary alderpeople at a meeting due to take place next week, writes Keely Bannister.
First elected to represent the people of Armley in 1990, Alison Lowe was the first woman of colour to be an elected councillor in Leeds when she was 25-years-old.
Fast forward 29 years and Ms Lowe made the decision to not seek re-election for the tenth time, instead choosing to concentrate on her work as the chief executive of the mental health charity Touchstone..
In a farewell interview, Ms Lowe told the Yorkshire Evening Post how she was “in bits” over the decision, stating:
“I will miss Armley and I will miss my constituents so much, but I’ve got to have a life and I’m just so tired. It’s going to be a massive break and, just thinking about it, I’m in bits.”
Richard Lewis served the town of Pudsey for 33 years having been elected for the first time in 1986 following an unsuccessful bid two years earlier before losing to Pudsey Conservative Trish Smith last year.
Mr Lewis rose up the ranks quickly, first being appointed as head of the council’s planning committee in the 1990s, before spending the last decade as the council’s portfolio holder for transport and planning.
An Honorary Alderman is a person who has rendered eminent service as a past member of the council.
Ms Lowe and Mr Lewis will be recognised along with seven other former councillors at an extraordinary meeting to be held at 12.30pm on Wednesday 15th January at Leeds Civic Hall.
You can view the documents associated with the meeting here.
Lewis is a gentleman