Harrogate council leader's personal tribute after death of 'proper community councillor'

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Coun Richard Cooper said councillor Norman Waller, who represented the Marston Moor ward on Harrogate Borough Council having been elected in 2018, had been a "proper community councillor".

"I am so sad that Norman has passed away, " said Coun Cooper.

"He was a proper community councillor, never afraid to speak out for his patch and the people living in it.

"I know that the community will join his colleagues and family as we mourn the loss of a thoroughly nice man and an assiduous representative who bore illness with great fortitude and optimism."

Coun Waller had lived in Tockwith in the heart of his ward.

He was also a parish councillor on Tockwith and Wilstrop Parish Council as well as a past chair of the Tockwith Agricultural Show of which he remained a trustee.

He leaves a widow, Jennifer.

Although Harrogate Borough Council will be abolished along with six other district councils in North Yorkshire as power is transferred to a new unitary authority for the whole county in 2023, there will still have be an election for the late Coun Waller's seat.

As part of the unitary authority process, elections will be taking place across the county to create a shadow authority for the new unitary council at elections this May and the law says the vacancy on the district council should be filled.

Unless constituents call an election early, the vacancy will be filled on the first Thursday in May alongside the elections to the new council.

In the meantime, County Councillor Andrew Paraskos will caretake the ward which is part of his county council division.

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