Sad news – Cllr Mrs Lily Henderson MBE

Posted on Thursday 17th December 2020

This council and the people of Blackpool were deeply saddened to learn of the death on 17 December 2020 of Councillor Mrs Lily Henderson MBE, former Mayor of the Borough 2003-2004 and member for Highfield Ward.

Councillor Lily Henderson was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire and came to Blackpool over 60 years ago and worked in her parents’ boarding house before subsequently buying it from them. She ran the boarding house for 27 years and then became owner and driver of a taxi.

Councillor Henderson has been a member of the Conservative Party for over 60 years and has been a member of the council for over 30 years from 1983 to 1995 and then from 2000 until present. When she was re-elected in 2019, she was Britain’s oldest councillor.

She had a love for tennis and had a keen interest in the health and social care sector and served as the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Housing and Health under Peter Callow’s time as leader of the council between 2007 to 2011. She also served previously as a director of both Blackpool Operating Company (the Sandcastle) and Blackpool Airport.

She had a passion for undertaking voluntary work, in particular her involvement with the scouting movement and was President of the Blackpool District Scout Council. She was proud to be awarded an MBE in 2005 in recognition of her contribution to the voluntary sector. Our deepest sympathy goes out to her son and daughter David and Victoria in their great loss.

Posted on Thursday 17th December 2020