Information on Loughborough

County Council elects new Chairman

Posted on 18/06/2009

Leicestershire Councty Council Chief Executive's

18 June 2009

County Council elects new Chairman

Mr Roger Wilson, who has served the local community for more than 16 years as a County Councillor representing Birstall, has been elected Chairman of Leicestershire County Council for 2009-2010.  

His consort will be his wife of 52 years, Sheila.  The couple have four children and eight grandchildren.

In 1997 Mr Wilson was elected Deputy Leader of the County Council in the first cabinet after reorganisation and was heavily involved in the formation of the new local government cabinet system within Leicestershire.

Roger's early years were spent in Liverpool, Manchester and the Isle of Man.  In 1951 he started work at Midland Bank in Lincoln.  After service in the RAF he returned to the bank and was transferred to Leicester where he bought his first house in Birstall.  By taking early voluntary retirement from the bank in 1989 he was able to follow what he now regards as his second career in local politics.

The couple take a keen interest in supporting children with special needs.  Sheila founded Birstall Playgroup for children with special needs 37 years ago and is still involved with the group.  Mr Wilson is an ambassador for the Special Olympics and will be supporting the games as Chairman.  His daugher, Miriam and her husband Stephen, are competing in the competition.

Mr Wilson has been a governor of Stonehill High School in Birstall, has sat on Birstall Parish Council for many years and is a long-time member of Birstall's Methodist Church where he is a local preacher.

Roger Wilson, the Chairman of Leicestershire County Council, said:

“I am delighted at the honour of being voted by my fellow councillors to be Chairman of the Council.  I look forward to learning more about the wider County,  representing the people of Leicestershire and meeting with those who work for the benefit of this County.”

Mr Peter Osborne, County Councillor for Rothley and Mountsorrel, has been elected Vice-Chairman for 2009/10.

Mr Roger Wilson, Chairman of the County Council and his wife, Sheila