Four former Wyre councillors made honorary aldermen

Thursday, 20 February 2025 09:44

By Richard Hunt

Four former Wyre councillors who between them put in decades of service have been made honorary aldermen.

The status was conferred upon them during a special meeting of Wyre Council.

They included the former leader of the Conservative-led authority, David Henderson, as well as ex-councillors Ann Turner, Paul Moon and Barry Birch.

Mrs Turner’s former roles at the council included her time as the Mayoress of Wyre, supporting Coun Andrea Kay in her role as Mayor in 2021/22.

Mr Birch, like Mrs Turner and Mr Henderson, served his constituency for 16 years.

Mr Moon served as a councillor on Wyre for 20 years and his time on the council included a period as chairman of the planning committee.

Unusually, he served on two borough councils at the same time, representing Preesall ward for Wyre and Hesketh with Becconsall for West Lancashire.

Despite some criticisms of this at the time, Mr Moon said that serving the two constituencies allowed him to compare the two and see how they were run differently, giving him the skills to make the right decisions on issues.

Mr Henderson was proposed as an alderman by Coun Roger Berry.

He said Mr Henderson had become a councillor for Breck ward in 2007, after another councillor stood down, and became leader in 2017.

It was during his leadership that Mr Henderson helped oversee the council’s challenging period during the Covid pandemic, when the decision was taken for the Civic Centre at Poulton to be used as a vaccination clinic.

He added: “In 2006, David was given a commendation for bravery by Lancashire Police after helping a police officer who was being attacked by a gang of youths.”

Mr Henderson said later: “Two things I regret are not standing as a councillor earlier, when I had the chance, and not serving for four years longer.

“Having said that, being made an alderman is a great honour.”