The current Mayor of Reading who has more than 50 years of public service under his belt is among the councillors who are retiring this year.
Councillor Tony Page (Labour, Abbey) will be standing down from Reading Borough Council after 51 years in office, first being elected in 1973, and crowning out his career as mayor for 2023/24.
His mayoralty has seen the opening of Green Park Station, Rivermead Leisure Centre, affordable apartments at the Arthur Hill Pool site and the opening of Reading West station ticket building.
His retirement, and that of the council leader Jason Brock were acknowledged at a full council meeting.
Paying tribute to cllr Page, cllr Brock (Labour, Southcote) said: “I marvel at how much you must have seen over the past 50 years on this council, and the legacy of your work can be found in every corner of this town.
“Residents are always full of praise for the myriad matters you have helped them with over the years.
“Giants of your sort are a rare thing in local politics and Reading has been extremely lucky to have you.”
Cllr Page, praising cllr Brock said: “I was impressed by the assiduous and very dedicated work that you did during the Covid crisis.
“You took to that challenge and we will all be grateful as an authority.”
Cllr Clarence Mitchell (Conservative, Emmer Green) thanked cllr Brock for his ‘good nature’ during their political sparring matches, particularly over the council’s budget.
Addressing Cllr Page, he said: “You are nothing short of an institution in Reading, I’m not saying you should be in one!
“But nevertheless, you are a titan of the politics here, you have crafted and created the town as we know it.
“You will be a loss to Reading, and very much a loss to the council.”
Addressing cllr Brock, cllr James Moore (Liberal Democrats, Tilehurst) said: “I was genuinely sad when I saw the announcement you were stepping down, but I hope we can go for a beer at some point and have a nice chat.”
Councillors Sue Kitchingham (Labour, Caversham Heights) and Liam Challenger (Labour, Katesgrove) are also standing down this year.
Cllr Brock spoke about cllr Kitchingham’s remarkable election in 2022.
He said: “Since then, Sue has been a diligent and hardworking councillor, especially in her ward and on the licensing committee.
“We will all miss her endearing laugh and her calm composure.”
Cllr Challenger was elected in 2018 and 2022.
In his tribute, cllr Brock said: “Across those six years he has been a grafter in his community and has pushed a great number of projects to fruition, quite especially around Katesgrove’s parks and open spaces, and more than a few efforts to get troublesome areas of the ward cleaned up.”
The retirements mean that there will be four new councillors in the chamber following the local elections, even if Labour retain all four seats.
Former Conservative cllr David Stevens is standing to replace cllr Page in Abbey ward for Labour.
Navjit Kaur Gill is the Labour nominee to replace cllr Challenger in Katesgrove, facing a challenge from Green candidate Kate Nikulina.
Labour candidates for Southcote and Caversham Heights are not currently known.
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