Bench memorial to honour councillor

Town hall colleagues, family and friends gathered at Blackpool South train station on Waterloo Road to see a plaque unveiled in remembrance of Coun Tony Lee who died last July after falling ill on holiday.

The father-of-four, who was 71, had represented Waterloo ward on Blackpool Council for the Conservatives since 2007 and served as deputy mayor in 2010/11.

One of his main projects, along with fellow ward councillor David O’Hara, was to clean up the environment around the train station.

Blackpool Mayor Coun Val Haynes unveiled the plaque on a bench at the station accompanied by Coun Lee’s widow Eileen.

Mrs Lee said: “It was very poignant and gratifying to see people acknowledge the contribution Tony made to the community.

“He worked very well with everyone because all he wanted was to do things which were for the good of Blackpool.

“Tony and David worked very hard to improve the train station so it’s appropriate his bench should be there and it’s in a really nice spot, which a lot of people will walk past.”

Coun Derek Robertson, who succeeded Coun Lee to represent Waterloo, said: “I knew Tony well and used to work with him. He was a friendly man, and a sincere man who worked hard for Waterloo Ward.

“He knew everyone and was very well liked locally and it is fitting that he should be remembered in this way. When he died I was asked to stand in the ward and I did so to carry on the good work he had done there for so many years.”

Coun Lee had previously served as a member of the Licensing Committee, the Scrutiny Committee and the Planning Committee on Blackpool Council.