Chesham says goodbye to its old mayor and hello to its new

May 16 2012 by Camilla Goodman, Buckinghamshire Examiner

derek lacey

IT HAS been a busy year for Chesham’s former mayor councillor Derek Lacey who had a total of 221 engagements during his term.

The engagements included visiting every school and church in Chesham, some more than once, opening seven new shops and two businesses in the town, meeting volunteer groups, opening fetes and fayres and meeting Princess Anne.

“It has been a busy year but I would have loved to have carried on,” Mr Lacey explained. “A year soon goes quick. I’m pleased I did so much and I would’ve done more if I could because I do like meeting people in Chesham.

“We have a lot of interesting people and so many volunteers, it really opened my eyes and I wondered what we would do without them.”

Mr Lacey said his low point for the year was learning Chesham police station’s opening hours will be reduced from 20 hours a week to 12.

He said: “That was my biggest upset of the year, I think it’s disgusting. They say it’s because no one ever goes in there but that’s because it’s never open. I am still urging people to send in letters.”

Mr Lacey said his highlights of the year were his wife Trudy, PC Hailey Goodwin, PCSO Les Roche and Examiner reporter Camilla Goodman, doing a skydive for his chosen charity the Douglas McMinn Centre and a concert he held in aid of the same cause.

Mr Lacey is still counting how much he raised for the day care centre for the elderly, in East Street, but he estimates it is about £8,000.

He said: “I’m so pleased with what I’ve been able to do for the Douglas McMinn centre and I’m pleased I chose that charity because I know it’s vital to all of us in Chesham and we should help keep it in the town.”

Mr Lacey wished his successor, councillor Colette Littley, well.