Herefordshire’s oldest serving councillor dies at 88

Herefordshire Council has confirmed that Councillor Dick Burke, representing Leominster South ward, died this morning (Tuesday 12 August 2008), aged 88.

Born in Birmingham in 1920, Richard Bernard Anthony Burke served with the Coldstream Guards from 1937 to 1946 before joining the Trustee Savings Bank in Leominster, where he was appointed manager in 1948, until his retirement in 1980.

During the 1950’s he introduced thrift clubs in places of work, clubs and pubs and savings from wages direct to bank accounts.

His first move into local government was in 1952 when he was elected to the out-parish ward of the Leominster Borough Council. In 1962 he was elected to the then Herefordshire County Council and was appointed vice chairman of the finance committee, where he played a big part in the purchase and development of the Rotherwas Business Park. He served as Mayor of Leominster in 1968.

In the 1980’s he won a seat on the Herefordshire and Worcestershire County Council and was elected to the new Herefordshire Council in May 1996 to represent Leominster South as a Conservative member.

Councillor Burke served for many years as a school governor on local schools and as senior trustee of Leominster Sports Club he spearheaded the provision of sporting facilities at Bridge Street Park, Leominster with the help of a Lottery grant.

Said Councillor Roger Phillips, leader of the council: “Councillor Burke was regarded as the father of the council for many years and because of his age, experience and wisdom contributed strongly to debate - and he always supported robustly the interests of his constituents and Leominster.

“Everyone was saddened to hear of his passing and our thoughts are with his family and friends in the community he loved. We will all miss him greatly”.