Council clerk Ian announces retirement

Clitheroe Town Council clerk, Ian Woolstencroft, is set to retire later this year after his 65th birthday.
Clitheroe Town Council Clerk Ian Woolstencroft is retiringClitheroe Town Council Clerk Ian Woolstencroft is retiring
Clitheroe Town Council Clerk Ian Woolstencroft is retiring

The council stalwart decided to hang up his wig and robe for the final time in August to spend more time with his wife, Sheila, three children and six grand-children.

Life-long Clarets’ fan, Ian, who lives in Burnley, said: “Deciding to retire was not an easy decision. My wife retired in 2013 and I have reached the stage where I have worked here for 10 years, enjoyed my work, but it’s time to go now and enjoy the activities I like doing while I am still fit and healthy.”

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Ian, who is a keen tennis player, joined the council in 2005 after taking early retirement from Burnley Council in 2004. “When I left my role in Burnley, I wanted to do something different. I wanted to concentrate on tennis coaching, but due to unsociable hours, I decided not to go ahead with that. As it happened, my predecessor, John Wells, was also by ex-boss at Burnley. He was emigrating to Australia with his wife, Glenys and asked if I fancied applying for the role of town clerk and I could not resist.”

During the last decade in Clitheroe, Ian has put a lot of work and effort into the council achieving “Quality Council” status. As well as attending regular meetings, he has organised mayor making ceremonies, Remembrance Sunday processions, Last Night of the Proms concerts and a torchlight procession.

Ian, a former East Lancashire Magistrate, is vastly experienced in the workings of government, having made local authority service almost his life’s work.

He began his career at the tender age of 19, working from Oakleigh, Reedley (now the Oaks Hotel in Burnley) as a trainee administrative assistant. He worked his way up the career ladder servicing most of the council’s committees. His last role at Burnley was as support services manager.

He said: “I have a good relationship with all the mayors and councillors and will miss working with them and miss coming to Clitheroe. It’s a beautiful place to work.”