Cllr Ann Reid awarded MBE in New Years Honour List

Cllr Ann Reid, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Dringhouses and Woodthorpe, has received an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours List, as recognition for her service to Local Government and the City of York.

Cllr Reid was first elected to serve the Foxwood ward in 1986 and then for Dringhouses and Woodthorpe.   For over 30 years, she has served the people of York with dedication and enthusiasm.

In addition to helping hundreds of residents every year with local issues, Cllr Reid has served as Lord Mayor of York (1993-94), as Master of the Company of Cordwainers and as a long serving school governor. She was only the fifth woman to serve as York’s Lord Mayor, an office that stretches back to 1217.

Cllr Ann Reid MBE said:

Press cutting from 1986

“I am surprised and delighted to have been proposed for this honour.   It has been a privilege to represent the residents of Dringhouses and Woodthorpe for so many years.   

I am grateful to my family and fellow Councillors who have given me great support over the years and I am so lucky to have been able to give something back to this wonderful City.”

NB. Ann was first elected to serve the City in a by-election in September 1986 and is now one of York’s longest serving Councillors

New Community Sports Directory launched

s part of work to increase levels of physical activity across the city, City of York Council has produced a directory of York’s community sports clubs.

The directory includes information and contact details for 115 voluntary sports clubs in the city offering a range of sporting and physical activity opportunities from angling to walking.

There is something for everyone with activities for all ages and abilities seven days a week, all-year round.

5,000 copies have been printed and are being distributed to schools, libraries and community centres across the city. The guide is also available to view online at www.york.gov.uk/communitysportsclubs.

In addition to this directory, the council’s Yorwellbeing service also offers support to local sports clubs through the Yorwellbeing club development offer. The service offers support on a variety of areas such as; funding applications, national governing body accreditations, facility development projects and community engagement.

For more information on the sports club directory or the club development offer please contact yorwellbeing@york.gov.uk or call 01904 553377.

Clubs who aren’t included within this year’s edition of the directory are asked to get in touch with the Yorwellbeing service so they can be incorporated into future publications.

Ann Reid celebrates 30 years as a York Councillor

Local Councillor Ann Reid was first elected to the York District Council at a by election held on 18th September 1986. Focus Ann is now one of the City’s longest serving Councillors.

In 1986 Woodthorpe and Acomb Park formed part of the Foxwood ward with the other two Councillors for the area being David Horwell and Steve Galloway. Ann stood as a candidate in the by election which followed the departure of sitting Councillor Sue Auckland to Sheffield (where coincidentally Sue was elected to the Sheffield Council for the first time last May).

Ann was described as a Liberal Alliance candidate in recognition of a coalition with the SDP which existed at the time.  (The SDP was made up of former Labour party members who had joined a new party in protest over a leftward lurch in their former parties policies – not much different from the current national political position really!)

The Foxwood and Woodthorpe area was very different in those days with a dPress cutting and result top 10ebate ranging about plans to build a shopping area on Acomb Wood Drive. A “Save Acomb Moor” (from development) campaign was running.

The campaign that had to be revived in 2013 when Labour announced a plan to build on part of the historic moor.

Councillors were seeking a bus service linking the, still expanding, Acomb Park area to the City centre.

Some things never change though with newsletters published at the time indicating a constant battle to keep the Woodthorpe shopping area safe and tidy.

There were also campaigns for public access to Acomb Wood (which was in private ownership at the time), Hoggs pond and Chapmans pond.

There was pressure on rubbish collection standards although recycling was in its infancy 30 years ago.

Ann was to go on to become the City’s Lord Mayor in 1993.

In the 2015 Council elections she was re-elected to serve the Dringhouses and Woodthorpe ward polling 3104 votes. This is the largest number of votes secured by any candidate in a local authority election in York’s history.

The next York Council elections are scheduled to take place in 2019.