Tributes flood in for councillor

Tributes have poured in for a long-standing Telford councillor who died today aged 69.

Councillor Jim Hicks, who represented the Brookside ward, passed away this morning following a serious illness.

First elected onto Wrekin Council 25 years ago, Mr Hicks was chairman of the council in 1988 and Mayor of Telford & Wrekin three years ago.

Paying tribute, council leader Andrew Eade, said: "I think the loss of Jim Hicks is very sad. Both he and I were voted onto the council 25 years ago at the same time. He was a councillor with great integrity who poured everything into his ward.

"He will be sadly missed by everyone in the borough."

Steve Wellings, Telford & Wrekin chief executive, added: "Councillor Hicks will be greatly missed by his fellow councillors and council staff and the people in the community who knew him.

"On behalf of everyone at Telford & Wrekin Council, we would like express our condolences to his family."

During the 1990s, Councillor Hicks chaired Wrekin Council's operational services committee and the economic development committee and had been a member of a range of other committees.

In addition to his role with Telford & Wrekin Council, Councillor Hicks also served on West Mercia Police Authority.

Councillor Keith Austin, the council's Labour group leader, said: "He was a very dear friend. He will be very sorely missed."