MADAM, Having represented Ross on South Herefordshire District Council for four years, and twelve on the Town Council, I have reluctantly reached the decision not to stand for re-election on May 5th.
There are two reasons for this. First: age. If I was re-elected I would be almost 83 at the next election in 2015. Second: physically I am not fully fit. So for these two reasons and no others I shall retire from the Council later this month.
Having been re-elected each time for Ross East it is time to thank the electors for their trust and support. Several times I have come top of the poll, a rare honour. Twice I served as Mayor, with Meryl my wife as Mayoress. For the Jubilee in 2002 we raised enough money to give each child in the Ross Schools a Jubilee mug and a surplus for the Ross in Bloom's rose arbour on the Prospect. The second time we raised several thousand pounds for the Ross Educational Foundation, which provides grants to students or trainees, be they medical or plumbers. Thanks for the honour, it was a great privilege.
For the last four years the majority of Town Councillors have been Liberal Democrats, that has never involved national politics in local affairs. I feel, and I know many people agree, that the Town Council has done much good work in those four years. I hope the past record will encourage people to vote in a Lib-Dem majority in May so that the work can go on.
So with thanks to the electors, fellow councillors including Conservatives for their friendship and the staff, I finish my term with gratitude to the wonderful town or Ross. I have no intention of disappearing or growing old gracefully. It's too late for that anyway.
Thanks and good wishes and prayers for the future of Ross.
Derek Bedford, Ross