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Death of civic stalwart
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| Civic campaigner: Martin Fellows. |
AN expert in municipal law and leading light with Kidderminster Charter Trustees has died in hospital from heart failure.
Associate town clerk and clerk to the charter trustees, Martin Felllows, 63, was a tireless campaigner for the preservation of civic values and had 40 years' experience as a local government lawyer.
Town clerk, Charles Talbot, said: "He had a vast knowledge of municipal and public law, which was of enormous help, certainly to me and the charter trustees."
Mr Fellows, who lived in Stourbridge, was educated at the town's King Edward VI Grammar School and started his career in the town clerk's department of Birmingham City Council before moving to the former West Bromwich County Borough and Kidderminster Borough councils.
He transferred to Wyre Forest District Council after local government reorganisation in 1974 and took early retirement from the authority as principal solicitor in 1997.
Since then, he practised law privately, mainly in the field of local government parish and district consultancy work, as well as remaining associate town clerk and clerk to the charter trustees, a position he held since 1984.
In 1995, Mr Fellows drafted the Community Representation Bill, which sought to give unparished areas - including Kidderminster - the right to petition for the creation of new parish councils.
Although the Bill was lost, much of its provisions are now to be found in Part II of the Local Government and Rating Act 1997.
A keen bell ringer, Mr Fellows was also town clerk of the new City of Hereford Parish Council, a founder member of the Stourbridge Township Council and legal adviser to the Association of Charter Trustees and Charter Town Councils.
Kidderminster Mayor, Health Concern councillor, Mike Shellie, said: "If there was any little problem or any question as regards the mayorship he knew the answer, he knew what to do. He had a vast pool of knowledge which will be very difficult to replace."
District council chief executive, Walter Delin, added: "Martin has spent 40 years in local government and has a long and distinguished record in the local community. He will be sadly missed."
His funeral is being held on Friday at St Thomas's Church, Market Street, Stourbridge, at 1.30pm, followed by a private cremation at Stourbridge Crematorium.
Donations in lieu of flowers should be sent to the National Amyloidosis Centre, c/o funeral directors H Porters and Sons, Old Church House, 60, South Road, Stourbridge DY8 3UJ.
Mr Fellows, who had been unwell for several months, leaves a widow Jane.
12:17pm Wednesday 7th May 2008
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