THE retirement of a prominent Crewe councillor has been announced.

The decision by Councillor David Newton, 80, leader of the Labour group, to stand down from his Crewe East seat, was made public at last week's meeting of Cheshire East Council.

Cllr Newton, made the decision to step down from front line politics because of ill health.

Born in Warwickshire in 1937, Cllr Newton undertook his National Service serving in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps serving in both Korea and Japan.

After National Service, he qualified as a teacher, before acquiring a degree in economics and sociology at the University of London and was awarded a subsequent MA by Keele University.

During his time in the academic world, Cllr Newton has written several papers and joint-edited publications

He has represented the Crewe East ward since May 2011, before which he was a Cheshire County councillor(from 1984) for many years, holding the position of chairman for four of those years.

Labour colleague Cllr Dorothy Flude, told last Thursday's meeting that Cllr Newton was too unwell and suffering mobility problems to attend, before reading out his resignation letter

In which he wrote: "I have had the privilege of being involved in public service for over 30 years. For 25 years I held many offices on the Cheshire County Council, including finance, education , and social services.

I had the honour of being chairman of the county council for 4 years. I also served in other fields of public service such as vice chairman of the Mid Cheshire Hospital Trust, and for several years as chairman of the North West Sports Council, both at a period of change and upheaval. I was delighted to be appointed as a deputy lieutenant for Cheshire, a lifetime office.

He added: "Being a councillor is essentially about serving the members of the community and working for them. I hope I did an effective job.

I say to my Labour colleagues 'carry on the good work'!

He was also a former director of 3C Waste, South Cheshire Chamber Property, Active Cheshire, Sports Volunteering North West, Crewe West End Project and is currently a director of Engine of the North.

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