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Long-serving Councillor one of three Executive members standing down
05/04/2023
Colin Clarke has been a councillor for nineteen years, serving at both Cherwell District and Banbury Town Councils
A popular, long-serving local Councillor and former Banbury Mayor is one of three big names from Cherwell District Council’s Executive who are standing down at the Local Elections in May.
Colin Clark will not be seeking re-election, having served as a Councillor for nineteen years. For much of that time he has represented the Banbury Calthorpe and Easington ward.
As a member of Cherwell District Council’s Conservative Group, Councillor Clark has been the Portfolio Holder for Planning. This meant he was often confronted with balancing the dictates of central government housing and development rules and quotas against the wishes of local people. It is a post he admitted to Banbury FM not many Councillors wanted as “it’s never a vote winner”.
Councillor Clarke last year stood down from Banbury Town Council, where he had also served for a number of years. He took on the role of Town Mayor twice, in 2010 and 2017.
The former police officer with Thames Valley Police said: “I’m 75 now. I discussed it with my wife and we agreed now was the right time to stand down. I know I will miss it.”
Cherwell District Council Leader Barry Wood paid tribute to Councillor Clarke earlier this week at the final meeting of the Council’s Executive ahead of the Local Elections in May. He said: “My understanding is you’ve been a member of this Council for 18, going on 19 years. Whichever way you cut it, it’s a substantive shift.
“I’d like to express my personal gratitude to you for your work on the Executive and in the planning portfolio, which has been a great assistance to the Council and to me.”
Alongside Councillor Clark, it was also announced at the meeting that Deputy Council Leader Ian Corkin and Bicester councillor Richard Mould would also not be re-standing. All three have played leading roles in the ruling Conservative group at Cherwell District Council.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam