Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
‘He was a great guy and great councillor’
Peter Sullivan dies two weeks after youngest son
Tributes have been paid to longserving former Airdrie councillor Peter Sullivan, who died last Wednesday at the age of 73.
North Lanarkshire Council leader Jim Logue remembered “how passionately he cared about his local community”, while fellow Airdrie councillor Michael Coyle, a long-time friend, called him “a wonderful councillor and a great man”.
Councillor Sullivan’s death tragically came just two weeks after that of his youngest son, David, who passed away unexpectedly on December 23 aged only 40.
The father and son will be honoured at a joint funeral on Friday – a requiem mass for both Peter and David will take place at 9.30am at Holy Trinity & All Saints Church on Muiryhall Street in Coatbridge, and their bodies will be received there at 6pm tomorrow (Thursday).
Labour representative Peter was a councillor for a total of 27 years, first being elected to Monklands District Council in 1988 to represent the Cairnhill ward.
He then continued to serve the area as the member for Cairnhill & Coatdyke following the formation of the new North Lanarkshire Council in 1996, doing so until 2007.
Two years later, he returned to the council chamber after winning a byelection for his party in Coatbridge North & Glenboig; and subsequently moved back to represent his home area, by now part of the Airdrie Central ward, from 2012 until 2017.
He served on many committees during nearly three decades on the local authorities, including both the planning and transportation and busy policy and resources committees, and also served as vice-convener of the social work, finance and latterly housing committees.
Airdrie Central ward colleague Councillor Logue said: “I was privileged to work with Peter for many years and proud to call him a friend.
“Everyone who knew Peter will know how passionately he cared about his community and of his commitment to helping the most vulnerable in society.
“His friends, former colleagues and constituents will be extremely saddened to hear of this news and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”
Councillor Sullivan was born in Glasgow and attended St Aloysius school, before studying at Strathclyde University and Jordanhill college of education to become a maths teacher.
He moved to Airdrie nearly 50 years
ago and taught in a number of schools in
North Lanarkshire, Glasgow and Stirling areas, as well as at Glenochil prison and North Glasgow College.
Peter was married for 43 years to beloved wife Marie, until her tragic death in a car accident in 2014; the couple had four sons – Mark, Paul, Christopher and David.
Son Christopher said: “Collectively, my dad served the community in Monklands and latterly North Lanarkshire for 27 years; he was elected by and served the people, and was very passionate about helping people.”
Airdrie North SNP member Councillor
Coyle had known Mr Sullivan since he was first elected to the former Monklands District Council, and later took office alongside him at the Civic Centre.
He told the Advertiser: “Peter was one of the most unique men I’ve ever known in my life – he was a great allround councillor and served the people very well.
“Peter was a man of principle and was as good as his word; he always fought for people who couldn’t fight for themselves and was determined to help everybody he met.
“He got a lot of projects done in Cairnhill – he’ll always be remembered for getting things like play parks and getting things maintained, and was part of bringing the joint campus to Cairnhill which has been a roaring success.
“Peter had a dry wit and was very funny.
“He knew everybody and when we went out for a drink it was like doing a surgery, as everybody used to come and give him their thoughts and woes.
“He was always proactive in the community and was just a great guy and a great councillor.
“Peter was wonderful for Airdrie and we’ll never have anybody like him ever again.”
He got a lot of projects done in Cairnhill Cllr Coyle