WITH 67 years served between them on Worcester City Council, four well-known councillors will be stepping down in May’s elections.
After 34 years service at the Guildhall, veteran Bedwardine councillor Derek Prodger is calling time on his illustrious City Council career, having served as mayor and chairman of the planning committee.
Another stalwart Coun Robert Rowden, who was first elected back in 1991, is also ending his 25 year spell as councillor for Battenhall on Thursday, May 5.
The long-serving councillor became the first Conservative leader of the City Council in more than two decades in 2000- a role he held for two years before a stint as mayor.
Relative newcomers to the council, Coun Mike Whitehouse and Coun Richard Boorn are both standing down after four years.
Coun Whitehouse, who won his Claines seat in 2012, has served as Deputy Mayor of the Faithful City during his time at the Guildhall.
And Coun Boorn, who represents Nunnery and served as the cabinet member for finance during the Labour administration in 2013-2014, is standing down to focus more on his company, but also partly due to health reasons after suffering from two heart attacks during his time as a councillor.
Speaking to the Observer, Coun Boorn said he hasn’t ruled out a return to the council in the future.
“I am very sad to be standing down and I very much hope I will have the chance to return in the future,” he said.
“I’m standing down because of running my own company and having had two heart attacks and heart surgery while a councillor, I would not want to not be able to put the energy required to support residents.
“I hope to retire in the near future and that is when I would hope to return,” he added.
