Councillor 'who went against the grain' steps down

14 hours ago

Joao SantoLocal Democracy reporter

News image — Joanna Spicer is stepping down as a councillor after 37 years

Joao Santos/BBC Standing in the Arc shopping centre, Joanna is wearing a grey cardigan and black and white patterned scarf. — Joanna Spicer is stepping down as a councillor after 37 years

A long-serving councillor, described by her colleagues as always being prepared to "go against the grain", is stepping down from public service after 37 years.

Joanna Spicer will retire in May having first been elected to Suffolk County Council in 1989.

On Thursday, during a council meeting, she said: "Quite honestly, I had no idea what I was doing [at the start].

"You don't wake up in your pram and think, I want to be a councillor when I'm grown up."

Joanna Spicer A black and white image of Joanna. A head shot showing her with dark hair and pearl earrings, a striped shirt with high collar and a dark coloured jacket. — Joanna in 1993 during her early tenure as a councillor

Spicer was first elected to serve the Blackbourn division, which includes Ixworth, Stanton and Hopton, as a Conservative.

Now aged 79, she said she hoped she had always done a good job.

"I set myself high standards – I want to help them and steer them when I can, or kick down doors to help.

"I've been very privileged in the things I have done."

Joanna Spicer Joanna and Christopher standing in Abbeygate Street in Bury St Edmunds. Christopher wears a green tweed jacket and brown trilby and glasses. Joanna stands to his left, leaning towards him in her red patterned coat and scarf. — Spicer said her husband Christopher had been a great support

Less than a year after being elected, Joanna was chosen as the council's vice-chairwoman - something she said came to "everyone's shock and horror", before later becoming its chairwoman in 2009.

Outside her council work, she presided over St John Ambulance, the Suffolk Domestic Violence Forum and advised on the Suffolk Cathedral Millennium Project, which saw the town's skyline change permanently with a new 150ft (46m) tower.

She also oversaw NHS restructure in 1990.

"I'm incredibly proud of what we got done in those days," she said.

Joanna said her husband Christopher had been a great support.

"If I come home cross or upset, he always sticks up for me," she said.

Christopher served as Mayor of St Edmundsbury between 2011 and 2012, making Joanna the lady mayoress.

In 2014, her work was rewarded with an MBE for her services to the county.

Joanna said in the future she would like to help a voluntary organisation dealing with mental health and domestic abuse.

Ben Lord, chairman of Ixworth Parish Council, said she had built respect for always being prepared to "go against the grain".

"Whoever takes her baton on is going to have incredibly big shoes to fill," he said.

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