In concluding my editorials on the 50th anniversary of Ottery Town Council, I would like to pay homage to the work of two specific councillors: George Hansford Sr., Chairman of the Ottery Urban District Council from 1954 to 1974, and Glyn Dobson, Mayor of Ottery St Mary from 2008 to 2019. Their records as Chairman and Mayor are unlikely to be surpassed. You may ask why I chose them. Well, their commitment provided numerous benefits to our town, which even today are instrumental in the progress that current and future councils can bring to the residents. Also, I am grateful for my fortunate connection with them: first, when I replaced George Hansford Jr. as a North Ward councillor, and second, when I was part of the team Glyn Dobson led after the 2018 local elections.

George Hansford Sr was born and raised in Ottery. His career in local government began in 1954, and he served on the Ottery Urban District Council from 1954 to 1974. He was a Justice of the Peace from 1962 to 1982 and an East Devon Councillor from 1974 to 1977. He served on OSMTC since 1974 and was chairman in 1966, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1983, and 1984. In 1987, EDDC made him an alderman for his loyal service, becoming the first alderman of Ottery St. Mary. Referring to my previous editorials, you can learn about the results achieved during his administration.

After reading through many newspaper interviews, I didn't have the pleasure of meeting George Hansford Sr. still; I found his love for this town and his convincing ideas about what was suitable for Ottery to be evident. He thoroughly enjoyed being a councillor and declared that the most pleasure had come from being able to help people. An interview published by the Sidmouth Herald 1990 tells us of when people would say to him, "You ought to do this and that", to which he responded by asking, "why did you come to live here?" and after the evident answer "I would not live anywhere else", he would say "why do you want to change it, then? This is a true manifestation of his role as Chairman.

Being part of Mayor Glyn Dobson's team gave me a unique opportunity to contribute to the town that welcomed me. In 2019, Glyn Dobson was honoured with an award for his 19 years of service as an Ottery St Mary councillor. On that occasion, I had the opportunity to interview him for an article in this newspaper and hear about his experiences. In his own words, although he served as a councillor for 19 years, the time seemed to fly by as there was always so much to do. When first elected as Chairman, he set several goals for himself to achieve. Then, being elected as the first mayor of Ottery St Mary, the list seemed even longer, but he enjoyed every minute and found himself busy every day.

Among them are the new allotments, the Station and the New Library, including new toilets, the Information Office, and the Poet's Corner. This project finally provided the Heritage Society with a permanent site for the Heritage Museum. A strong supporter of sports, he was involved in creating the outdoor gym and the skate park and organizing numerous cycling events in town. Let's not forget Strawberry Lane's sports pavilion, petanque facilities, and the initial negotiations for the MUGA project. However, according to him, the most challenging yet rewarding project was leading the effort to provide a safe passage from the town to Kings School through the Coleridge Bridge. Thanks to the excellent management of the team he led, by the time he decided to retire, a healthy balance in the Council's coffers and a six-figure sum representing the S106 money owed to the Council had been secured, allowing future councils to continue its magnificent legacy.