The Voice

Long-serving Lib Dem Legend Flick Rea steps down as Camden Councillor

By | Sat 5th June 2021 - 3:31 pm

Camden’s longest serving Lib Dem Councillor Flick Rea has decided to step down.

Flick, who was elected 35 years ago, is now in her 80s and her decision to resign as a councillor was in part motivated by the Government’s insistence that local Government resumes in-person meetings.

Camden Lib Dems celebrated her time at the Council on Twitter:

From Camden New Journal:

“I’m ok but not great,” said Cllr Rea, who is in her 80s and has had problems with her eyesight.

“Being asked to go to Mornington Crescent feels too much for me. It’s a hard break for me and I will be sad to be leaving, as I’ve always tried to be a voice for my constituents. They want to know somebody will listen to them.”

The article looks back at her long record of service:

“The council has changed over my time,” she said. “And really it was when they got rid of the old committee system that things changed for the worse because things got so top down. I imagine even some Labour backbenchers wonder what they can actually do under the cabinet system.”

One of her great loves has been the planning committee; often providing colourful assessments of the schemes that are put before councillors but always protective of the borough’s heritage buildings.

“I will miss the council very much and one of the reasons I have delayed putting in my letter saying I’m stepping down is that I have so many emails and issues to deal with while I’m still just about a councillor,” she said.

“The number of emails and messages I’ve had from constituents during the pandemic have been more than I’ve ever had. People have had more time and have walked past a pothole in the road and thought ‘I’ll tell Flick about that’. Or it’s this or it’s that. There is a lot to get through, but with my eyesight the way it is I can’t, sadly, be staring at a screen for hours on end or all night.”

There will be a by-election in Flick’s Fortune Green ward on 22 July. The Lib Dem candidate will be Nancy Jirira, a former councillor and a nurse who featured in BBC’s Hospital series last year after she became seriously ill with Covid.

Our very best wishes and thanks to Flick on her retirement and good luck to Nancy in the by-election.

Please share stories of Flick’s time as a councillor and any messages of thanks to her in the comments.

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5 Comments

  • Adrian Sanders 5th Jun '21 - 7:34pm

    She’s a legend and an inspiration to us all. Enjoy the time you will now get to yourself Flick, you deserve it.

  • lynne featherstone 6th Jun '21 - 11:40am

    Such a wonderful force for good. Thank you Flick for all your amazing work over the years. Local people were very fortunate to have you fighting their corner. L x

  • David Evans 6th Jun '21 - 1:04pm

    Flick is an absolute star in Camden and in the wider Lib Dem community. She was the one and only councillor to hold on to her seat in the dark, dark days of coalition, and stayed on to help a new generation start to build again.

    She will be loved and missed in equal quantities.

  • Steven Deller 6th Jun '21 - 1:35pm

    Long before being elected to the council, Flick was at the heart of the local affairs and leading parent teacher associations. Her half century of selfless service to the communities of Fortune Green & West Hampstead has made her into the local legend others can only asprire too. Best wishes for a happy retirement.

  • Mark Smulian 7th Jun '21 - 9:27am

    In addition to her service in Camden, Flick is of course a noted performer. Her impression of Margaret Thatcher in the Liberal Revue from 2008 can be seen here at 27 minutes in:

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