A lifetime of service to Worcestershire - Councillor Andy Roberts passes away  

Councillor Roberts represented Warndon Parish, which covers Warndon Villages, for the County Council and was a Councillor for over 20 years.

He is survived by his beloved wife Frances, whom he married in 1974, and their two children, Wayne and Victoria, and granddaughter Kim.

Council Leader Simon Geraghty today paid tribute to Councillor Roberts, describing him as ‘serving our local community throughout his whole adult life, both through his work and during his retirement. He championed the needs of children and families and gave a lifetime of service to Worcestershire.’

Councillor Geraghty said: “Our deepest sympathies remain with Andy’s family at this devastating time.

“It is with the greatest sadness that we have lost a dedicated and respected Cabinet Member, active local Councillor and for me personally, a dear friend.

“Throughout his long career with the Fire Service, to more than 20 years as a local County Councillor and various other voluntary roles, Andy served our local community throughout his whole adult life, both through his work and during his retirement. He championed the needs to children and families and gave a lifetime of service to Worcestershire.

“I am immensely grateful for his leadership of Children’s Services during a challenging period over the last six years and thankful that he managed to see this transformation rightly recognised by Ofsted in their most recent inspection report published in July achieving a ‘Good’ outcome.

“Andy’s thoughtful, measured and considered contributions will very much be missed by Cabinet, by Council and by the wider community in which he engaged so actively in and had such a positive impact on.”

Councillor Roberts was born in Worcester and was the youngest of four children. He was educated locally at St Clement’s Primary School and Christopher Whitehead School for Boys.

He played rugby for Worcester Rugby Colts and went on to win honours with Hereford and Worcestershire and West Midlands Rugby Team (under 19 and 21 age groups). 

In 1965, at the age of 16, he joined Worcester City and County Fire Service as a cadet Junior Fireman. In what is described as an ‘unprecedented achievement’, he retired 37 years later as Assistant Chief Fire Officer of Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service.

Councillor Roberts became a volunteer and driver for patients at St Richard’s Hospice, alongside his wife, and also engaged in many roles for the Hospice, being honoured by being appointed to the Council of Governors. 

He was first elected to the County Council in 2001 and represented Claines until 2005, and he was then elected to serve Warndon Parish from 2009. He was appointed Cabinet Member for Education on the County Council in 2004 and in 2006, and also in 2009 was elected Mayor of Worcester. 

In 2016 he was appointed Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Commissioning and Transformation at the County Council.

The following year, in 2017, he was appointed Lead Member for Children and Families, committing himself to champion the needs of children and families across the county. Councillor Roberts was instrumental in leading the improvements in Children’s Services over the six year period culminating in Children’s Services being recognised by Ofsted and Peers as ‘Good’ with the leadership, of which he was part of, also rated as ‘Good’ overall.

He was also a Governor of Lyppard Grange Primary School and Northwick Manor Junior School, as well as Chair of Governors of Riverside School and a number of PRUS/Alternative provision. Councillor Roberts was also Chairman of the Worcester Leg Club for 15 years which sought to minimise people’s social isolation and provide a sense of community belonging.

He was a lifelong environmentalist and was proud to enable people in his community to get involved in enhancing biodiversity and access projects.

At the time of his passing, Councillor Roberts was also Chairman of the County Council’s Corporate Parenting Board, and a member of both the Health and Wellbeing Board and Joint Museums Committee.

Council Leader Simon Geraghty will be covering the role of Cabinet Member for Children and Families until a new appointment is made by him in due course.