Wharfedale News

Ex-councillor described as 'pillar' of Otley

By Jim Jack

9:00am Friday 27th January 2012

Otley’s MP led tributes to former town council stalwart Millie Stott at her funeral yesterday.

Former council colleagues and friends crowded into the Bridge Church to join Mrs Stott’s family for the event. MP Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem, Leeds North West) had been asked by the family to speak about her life.

Mrs Stott, who died aged 82 on Sunday, January 8, had served on the town council for 14 years. Town mayor, Councillor Nigel Francis, echoed the feelings of many when, after hearing of her death, he described her as “one of the pillars” of Otley.

Councillor Graham Kirkland (Lib Dem, Otley & Yeadon), meanwhile, has announced he is working with Otley in Bloom and Leeds City Council on getting a floral tribute to Mrs Stott installed in the town centre.

Among those paying their respects were all three ward councillors, town council leader Councillor John Eveleigh, and representatives from the many community organisations she had been involved with. Mr Mulholland said it was with great pride he paid tribute, on behalf of the Otley community, to a lady who embodied all that was best about the town.

He said: “Millie was known by everyone, working tirelessly for so many organisations and causes, from her work galvanising the Otley Chamber of Trade to her campaigning work as a town councillor, her fundraising for the RNLI and as fundraiser and president of Otley Women’s Guild, to her roles as treasurer for Otley Carnival and Victorian fair.

“Millie and her husband Arthur were both members of Otley Chamber of Trade as business people, running their cobbler’s shop on Courthouse Street. Millie proved to be a very active member of the chamber of trade, who lobbied the town and city councils tirelessly on behalf of the town and its businesses. She did much to revive that organisation and lay the foundations for the active and successful group it is today.

“Millie’s talent, energy, attitude and obvious potential to become an excellent town councillor came to fruition when she was elected in a by-election in Ashfield Ward in 1993. In total, she served on the town council for 14 years, including serving as both deputy mayor and mayoress.

“It was no surprise she chose to stand for re-election a fourth time in 2007, despite being in her late seventies, and that she got the most votes of any winning candidate in Ashfield Ward.

“She meticulously read every agenda paper and her experience as a treasurer was notable – not a single figure passed her by without her demanding an explanation.

“Ever down to earth, she was good at restraining other councillors’ flights of fancy but woe betide anyone who said anything derogatory about Otley. She would help any group or individual and would always say yes to a request from a local primary school to go along and talk about being a councillor. She championed so many causes – for the new Wharfedale Hospital, against paid-for parking, for a lorry ban, Otley in Bloom. The list goes on. She was an excellent councillor who got things done, including the crossing at the bottom of Billams Hill that many locals think of as ‘Millie’s Crossing’.

“I and others are also indebted to her for nearly three decades as a tireless campaigner for first the Liberals and later the Liberal Democrats. No-one understood that an army marches on its stomach more than she did and Millie’s hot pot was legendary.

“Perhaps above all, however, she will be remembered for her wonderful baking. She was a friend to many and an inspiration to more, a true pillar of the community and a shining example to us all. She leaves all of us with a gap that can’t be filled, but she leaves Otley a better place and all of us all the better for knowing her.”

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