Bucks Council deputy leader among third of councillors not standing in upcoming elections

Deputy leader Angela Macpherson and fellow cabinet members Arif Hussain and Anita Cranmer are among the big names not seeking re-election on May 1.

Some 46 councillors are leaving the council at these elections, while Councillor Jonathan Rush passed away last year, creating a vacancy in his Chalfont St Peter ward.

Some of the 100 councillors who have put themselves forward for re-election will also be leaving the council as the unitary authority goes from 147 to 97 seats due to boundary changes.

Councillor Arif Hussain told the LDRS he was thankful to everyone who had supported him over the years and that it had ‘been a pleasure to serve the people of Wycombe’.

The Conservative, who represents the Terriers and Amersham Hill ward, said: “It was a tough decision to let go.”

Councillor Hussain, who is the cabinet member for communities, said he was proud of the council’s recent rollout of new CCTV councillors to improve community safety.

The former mayor of Wycombe, who has been a councillor for around 17 years, said he was hoping his departure from the council will leave more time for his charity work.

Councillor Hussain is chair of trustees for the Wycombe Wanderers Foundation and a trustee for the Clare Foundation.

The 59-year-old may even have time for more sport. He said: “Cricket is my love. I am a level two cricket coach, but I haven’t done coaching for a little while.”

Councillor Hussain’s fellow Conservative councillor Angela Macpherson is also among the cohort of council members not up for re-election.

The deputy leader and cabinet member for health and wellbeing told the LDRS she was not ‘retiring’ but was ‘stepping away’ from the council.

Councillor Macpherson, 66, said it had been an honour to represent her Grendon Underwood ward and that she had ‘thoroughly enjoyed’ her 12 years as a councillor.

As well as being deputy leader for Bucks Council, the Tory also led the former Aylesbury Vale District Council – the first woman in history to do so.

“There is still more to do,” Councillor Macpherson said as she spoke about women in local government, “But things are definitely improving. More and more females are coming in. It is more of an even playing field.”

She added: “I would like to see younger people coming in too – just more diversity generally is the important thing.”

Councillor Macpherson said she hoped to have more time for painting, drawing and exercise as she leaves her councillor role behind.

She added: “It is time to hand over the baton. People need to take up the challenges that are going to be presented to them and they are coming down the track.”