Retirement Of Councillor Willie Clarke

EDM number 275 in 2016-17, proposed by Roger Mullin on 04/07/2016.
Categorised under the topic of Local government.

That this House recognises, in the spirit of Jo Cox's appreciation for collaborative politics, the outstanding contribution by Councillor Willie Clarke to his local community in Fife; understands that following a career as a miner at the Seafield Pit in Kirkcaldy, Mr Clarke was elected as a councillor for the Ballingry area in 1973; notes that he held the Ballingry seat until 1996, when he was elected as Councillor for the Benarty area of Fife following local government reorganisation; highlights that Mr Clarke served his community as a councillor for 43 successive years, elected firstly as a communist candidate before becoming an Independent candidate; acknowledges that Mr Clarke was Branch Secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and served on the Scottish Executive of the NUM for 10 years, and on the Fife Health Board from 1982 to 1986 as the STUC nominee; further recognises that Mr Clarke served on various Fife Council committees throughout his local council career, including as Vice-Chair of the Special Cases sub-committee, and as Chairman of the Cowdenbeath Area Committee; further understands that he was a founding member of the first community credit union in Fife, and later helped to form the Benarty and Lochgelly Credit Union; praises his contribution to the biggest land reclamation in Europe, when the pit workings around the Mary Pit in Lochore were transformed into the beautiful Lochore Meadow Country Park; and hopes that Mr Clarke will enjoy a long and happy retirement, whilst continuing his public life as a member of Fife Day Care, Benarty Management Committee and Benarty and Lochgelly Credit Union.

This motion has been signed by a total of 24 MPs.