Tributes paid to 'inspiring' late former Amersham councillor after 30 years of campaigning
Tributes have been paid for a former Amersham councillor who died earlier this year.
Vera Head MBE was a former Chiltern District Councillor from 1999 to 2011 representing the Amersham on the Hill ward. She also served as an Amersham Town Councillor for more than 30 years, having been first elected to the Town Council in 1995 and only retired last year.
Members of Buckinghamshire Council paid tribute to the “staunch Liberal Democrat” at the authorities’ full council meeting last week. Cllr Sarfaraz Khan Raja, chairman of the council, said he wished to “send my condolences to Vera’s family and friends.”
A minute’s silence was held in her memory at the meeting. Cllr Isobel Darby paid tribute to her friend. She said: “Although Vera and I didn’t share the same politics. I think we shared the same passion for making a difference.
“I would count her as a dear friend. And although our time at Chiltern wasn’t long, whenever we saw each other, we always had a hug. We were always good friends.
“One of the things that I remember about Vera was the fact that she was very, very keen to encourage women in politics, because obviously she started a long, long time ago and there weren’t many of us here.
“I can see there are a lot more of us now and that is because of people like Vera who encouraged women to go forward in their political career.
“I would say she was a dear, dear person, dear friend and she did the right thing for people. She always carried the baton for those that couldn’t do it themselves and she will be missed terribly.”
Vera died aged 97 after a long illness at the beginning of the year, according to Liberal Democrat Voice. Cllr Mark Roberts a Liberal Democrat member for Amersham and Chesham Bois said in a statement online, she will be missed by many.
He said: “Vera was a significant local community campaigner and a passionate advocate for the Liberal Democrats here in Amersham and on the wider national stage.
“Despite age and increasing ill health she continued through her term to bring her considerable experience and wisdom to bear and was a great help to newer councillors.
“On the national stage, Vera was a committed and inspiring campaigner for women in politics. Many women MPs, councillors and political campaigners were inspired and supported by Vera over very many years, and she was a well known figure in Liberal Democrat circles.
“Her feisty and pithy contributions will be missed by many.”