A swathe of councillors and officers were recognised for their services to local government in the King’s New Year Honours, underlining the sector’s key contribution to national life.
Recipients of OBEs for services to local government included Cllr Bev Craig (Lab), Leader of the LGA’s Labour Group and of Manchester City Council; and LGA Deputy Chair Cllr Claire Holland (Lab), who is also Chair of London Councils and Leader of Lambeth Council.
Cllr Roger Phillips (Con), Chairperson for Herefordshire Council and a member of the LGA’s Local Government Resources Committee, also received an OBE, for services to the community, as did Anna Rose, Head of the LGA’s Planning Advisory Service, for public service.
Cllr Martin Tett (Con), a former Chairman of the LGA’s People and Places Board and former Leader of Buckinghamshire Council for 14 years, was appointed a CBE, for political and public service.
And there was an MBE for Cllr Roger Hirst (Con, Brentwood), Vice-Chair of the LGA’s Fire & Rescue Authority Committee and Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, for services to policing and community safety.
Other local politicians made MBEs included Peter Dunphy (Ind, City of London), Cllr Liz Fairhurst (Con, Hampshire), Cllr Susan Goodchild (Lib Dem, Central Bedfordshire), Cllr Mary Harland (Lab, Leeds), Cllr Franklin Owusu-Antwi (Con, South Gloucestershire), and Rachel Turner (Con), recently a member of Reigate & Banstead Borough Council.