Agenda item

Councillor Lise Noakes

Minutes:

1.1      Councillor James, Leader of the Council, paid tribute to Councillor Lise Noakes who had passed away peacefully on Sunday,19th May after a brave fight against illness. She had served on the City Council for nearly twenty years being elected to Hucclecote ward in 1990 and was re-elected to represent Barnwood ward in 2004.  She had served on the Cabinet as the portfolio holder for Culture and Leisure for four years, and had served as Mayor, Sheriff, Chair of the Licensing and Enforcement Committee and Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources.

 

Councillor James stated that he had known Lise for almost thirty years as she had been his Constituency Chairman when he fought the general election in 2001, as well as being a good friend and great support to him.

 

He then read an address that Lise had planned to read to Council as she had planned to step down from her Cabinet post.  She had been incredibly proud of the achievements of the Council and its partners in setting up the Gloucester Culture Trust and she detailed the achievements of the Trust to date and outlined its plans for the future which would make Gloucester a strong contender to achieve City of Culture in 2025.

 

Councillor Stephens, Leader of the Labour Group, asked that the Group be associated with the Leader’s comments. He recalled being Leader of the Council when Lise was first elected in 1990.  He stated that Lise was passionate about the City and its future and she had left a lasting legacy to the City.

 

Councillor David Brown expressed his sadness at the news and several other Members echoed those sentiments.

 

The Mayor, who had worked with Lise as a Ward Member for Barnwood, paid tribute to her achievements and offered the condolences of the Council to Lise’s family.