Councillor steps down after 20 years' service

Following the death of his wife and fellow district councillor Gill Ogden in October of last year and as a result of ongoing ill health, Coun Ogden has stepped back from his representation of the Heckington Rural Ward as of February 1.

While the ward continues to be represented by fellow councillor Sally Tarry, a by-election will be held in due course to fill this new vacancy.

First elected as a Conserative in May 2003 and selected to join the council’s Executive Board in 2006, during his decade on the Executive Board Coun Ogden had a particular interest in housing; overseeing a substantial expansion of council housing including a range of pioneering approaches including the country’s first council homes with straw-bale construction in 2009-2010 and the county’s first Passivhaus construction council homes, completed in Heckington in 2016.

He was involved across a range of service areas, taking an active interest in waste and environmental services, as chair and vice-chair of the Local Environment Overview and Scrutiny Panel and subgroups, and also in the

financial support and sustainability of residents as chair of the Joint Committee for the Revenues and Benefits Shared Service.

He also supported his wife during her two years as chairman and vice chairman from 2016 to 2018.

As a long-time resident of the area he represented, he has been actively involved in many aspects of community life and was well-known for his business as a shooting coach.

Council Leader Coun Richard Wright said “I thank Stewart most sincerely for his 20 years of service to the residents of his wards, the endeavours of the council and the benefit of the wider district. He has been a hardworking, no-nonsense and loyal councillor who actively represented and supported the interests of his communities. To be elected six consecutive times in the four-yearly cycle of elections is a testament to the esteem in which he has been, and continues to be held and I wish him well on behalf of us all.”

In 2023 the ward boundary changes that took effect as part of the wider Electoral Boundary Reviews, means that the Heckington Rural Ward encompasses parish areas of Heckington, Great Hale, Little Hale and Burton Pedwardine. Coun Sally Tarry continues to represent and support local residents in this two member district ward.