THE FORMER leader of Thurrock Council, Andy Smith has died.
Mr Smith, was former Labour leader of the council until 2004. He was the cabinet member for Regeneration, Highways and Transportation as well as a very popular Labour ward councillor for West Thurrock and South Stifford.
Andy Smith was Thurrock’s most experienced councillor, serving in several capacities before his sudden death on Tuesday (12 August).
He became a councillor in the 1980s and his passion for local people led to him taking the chair of the housing committee in the 90s and then he followed Jimmy Aberdein to the council’s leadership.
In that role he was responsible for much of the work which led to the borough’s successful bid to break away from Essex and become a unitary authority with responsibility for schools, social services and libraries.
Andy Smith continued to lead the council until 2004 and returned to the upper echelons in 2010 when he returned to his first love, taking on cabinet responsibility for housing before moving on to the Regeneration, Highways and Transportation portfolio.
Council Leader, Cllr John Kent, said; "Andy and I go back a long, long way and this shocking news has hit me personally. His loss will also have an impact on many people.
"Andy was a tremendous and hard-working councillor and was well known among his current constituents in West Thurrock and South Stifford ward – but I am sure there will be thousands of local people in Tilbury and Stifford Clays who owe him a debt of gratitude from when he was their representative in the early years of this century and the closing years of the last."
He added: "Andy never shirked responsibility, whether it was leading the council and borough into a new era, or thinking about the effect any decision we took on ordinary, Thurrock families.
"He could have taken the mayoralty at any time – he was the longest-serving member – but the fact he felt taking a step back from the day-to-day decision making to help local people was wrong for him personally sums up his work ethic.
"I will miss him. We all will miss him. Thurrock will miss him. Our thoughts and prayers are with those closest to him."
The council’s chief executive, Graham Farrant, said he had first met Cllr Smith in 2000 while he was leader of Thurrock Council.
He said: "At this difficult time we should all reflect on our memories of Andy who has made a major contribution to the work of the council – and the borough as a whole – over more than two decades.
"He has made a particularly strong contribution to the regeneration and growth of Thurrock and I have valued his enthusiasm and his determination to do his best for the residents of the borough.
