Former council leader dies soon after wife

A FORMER council chief who was among the local representatives to spearhead the newly created Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council in the early ‘70s has died.

Rupert Wood was the leader of the Liberal group when the new borough council was formed in 1974 as an amalgamation of the previous Hinckley urban and Market Bosworth rural councils.

Ron Dickens, a Labour council- lor, was the first leader with Mr Wood serving as deputy before taking the reigns during the final year of the first administration.

The local politician died just under two months after his wife Dorothy who was aged 86.

Her funeral took place on September 19 with a thanksgiving service at the Hinckley Great Meeting Unitarian Chapel.

Current borough and county councillor David Bill (Lib Dem, Hinckley Clarendon) remem- bered Mr Wood well.

He said: “The first years of the new council was a time of great upheaval and much time and effort were spent in trying to bring together the differing ambitions of the urban and rural areas.

“Perhaps the most notable achievement was the decision to proceed with the leisure centre on Coventry Road.

“It was a time of shifting political allegiances and Rupert became leader of the council in the final year of the first administration.

“He and Dorothy were both professional people who were highly respected in their chosen fields as well as in political circles.

“Under her professional name as Dr Jones, Dorothy was held in high esteem in her research work at Leicester University.

“They were stalwart friends who gave me considerable encouragement in my early years on the council.”