New mayor for Wellingborough announced

Having served on the borough council since 2003, representing the Finedon ward, Cllr Ward has also been a parish councillor for the same period.

He has served on most of the council’s committees, including development, licensing, standards, resources and planning, where he is the current vice-chairman.

During his mayoral year, Cllr Ward plans to hold regular fundraising activities and will decide which organisations to distribute to at the end of the year.

Cllr Ward said: “I am looking forward to meeting many people, organisations and charities during the year.

“My fundraising will be distributed locally, to unsung organisations which provide much needed opportunities and support to both children and adults.

“They are the backbone of a compassionate society.”

He already considers Wellingborough ‘a town to be proud of,’ with its many architectural gems.

He hopes it will thrive and prosper with all the ongoing town centre regeneration, such as the initiative on shop front renovations in the town.

He further hopes it can develop as a niche market town in the future.

Cllr Ward was born in Finedon, where he has lived for most of his life.

Educated at Wellingborough Grammar School and Leeds University, he gained an Honours degree in special studies economics and went on to work in the pensions industry, initially with Legal & General, and then the Alliance & Leicester Group, now Santander, before taking early retirement in 2003 to care for his mother.

At the time of retirement, he was group pensions manager, responsible for the pensions of more than 10,000 staff and pensioners.

Always interested in politics, Cllr Ward is an active member of the Conservative Party, and a past chairman and president of Finedon Conservative Club, where he is now a trustee, as well as treasurer of Finedon Conservative Association for more than 40 years.

Outside politics, Cllr Ward is a lifelong supporter of Northampton Saints, Burnley Football Club and a life vice-president of Finedon Dolben Cricket Club.

He also loves horse racing and classic cars - but he plans to curtail some of these activities during his mayoral year.

Away from sport, Cllr Ward is social secretary of the Probus Club of Wellingborough, and supports a number of charities including the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, of which he is a governor.

Cllr Ward will be officially appointed mayor for 2018-19 at the annual council meeting on Tuesday, May 22.