Tributes have been paid to former South Staffordshire District Council leader Roger Lees, who has died at the age of 82.
Members of the council observed a minute's silence in his memory at a meeting on Tuesday, May 5, following the news of his death last week.
A Life of Public Service
Coun Lees took on the leadership of the district council in 2021 and was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2024 for his services to the area. Later that year, he stepped down from the leadership role but continued to serve on the council's cabinet.
His career in local government spanned 35 years. He was first elected to Swindon Parish Council in 1991, then secured a seat on South Staffordshire District Council in 2007, joining the cabinet two years later.
Key Achievements
Under his leadership, the district authority was named Council of the Year in 2022. He also oversaw the launch of the Codsall Community Hub, a £10 million project that brought together healthcare facilities, a nursery, and council services under one roof.
Council leader Kath Perry highlighted his work with Staffordshire Police to improve police visibility at the hub. She said: "He championed several key programmes for the district. Community safety was a key priority for Coun Lees."
She added: "He was also a strong ambassador for South Staffordshire in the Local Plan, ensuring communities' priorities remained at the forefront against a challenging and constantly changing national policy background. He led on the Rural Exception Housing Site scheme in Swindon, which ensured local people could continue to remain in the village community."
Perry concluded: "He was highly valued and his kindness and dedication to the district will be remembered for years to come. He will be very sadly missed."
Council and Community Reactions
Council chief executive Dave Heywood said: "We would like to convey our sincerest condolences to Roger's family and friends at this terribly difficult time. I very much enjoyed our time working together and he will be very sadly missed."
Beyond his council duties, Coun Lees served as a magistrate on the South Staffordshire bench for 35 years.
Mike Wood, MP for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire, expressed his sadness on social media, saying: "Roger was an outstanding leader of South Staffs District Council and helped turn it into one of the best-performing district councils in the country. He will be hugely missed – our thoughts are with Janet and their family."
