Colchester Council leaders fund display of authority history

The display, in gold leaf on an oak panel in the council chamber in the Town Hall, records the background to the formation of Colchester Council in 1974.

In addition to the gold leaf lettering giving details of the creation of the enlarged borough, the panel also lists the names of the leaders of the council from when that position began.

A leader did not exist for the first two years and was introduced informally by Conservative David Holt in 1976 and then Alec Sexton in 1987.

The position was formally established by the council in 1979.

Leaders that followed were Bernard West in 1982 and Eric James in 1986.

Sir Bob Russell took over in 1987 for the SDP-Liberal Alliance, and then from 1988 as the Liberal Democratic Party after the two parties merged.

Fellow Lib Dem Steve Cawley served as leader of the council for seven years, from 1991 to 1998.

Lib Dem Colin Sykes took over for two years followed by Lib Dem Bill Frame in 2000.

The idea for having the history of the council and its leaders recorded for posterity came from former leader, now the city’s High Steward, Sir Bob Russell.

Its installation coincides with the council’s 50th anniversary and is next to two similar panels listing High Stewards and Army regiments awarded the Freedom of the Borough.

Another new panel elsewhere in the chamber, promoted by Sir Bob, records the date when Colchester became a city – officially September 5, 2022.

Names of leaders of the council since 2000 are listed on a framed parchment elsewhere in the chamber.

Sir Bob said: “Surviving leaders from the 20th century felt that the history of how the current council was created 50 years ago should be displayed in a manner identical to the other panels in keeping with the ornate setting of the council chamber.

“The cost of the gold lettering has been funded by the surviving leaders from the last century – Alec Sexton, myself, Steve Cawley, Colin Sykes and Bill Frame.”