It is with great sadness that we report that our Association President, Gerard Francis, passed away earlier this week. Generations of local people in Leeds and Otley will have benefited from his half a century of local activism and elected office. He remained an active and supportive member and officer of the local Association right until the coronavirus lockdown earlier in the year and worked tirelessly throughout the General Election campaign in 2019.

Gerard first served as a councillor on the old Otley Urban District Council. As a long serving Otley Town Councillor he became mayor of Otley three times, 1975-6, 2002-3 and 2009-10. This is a record only broken by his brother Nigel, who has been Otley's Mayor four times. Gerard finally left the Town council in 2011.

Gerard was first elected to Leeds City Council in 1976, representing Otley and Wharfedale Ward for 4 years.  He later represented the ward on the city council from 2003 to 2004. His main areas of interest were matters relating to education and social services. In November 2014 he was made an Honorary Alderman of Leeds, where his long service on Otley Town Council was recognised. Gerard was the secretary of Otley Conservative Club for over 25 years and a governor of The Whartons Primary School.

 More recently, from a political perspective, he was chairman of Leeds North West Conservative Association and was elected President in 2019. 

Generations of local people in Leeds and Otley will have benefited from his half a century of local activism and elected office. He remained an active member and officer of the local Association right until the coronavirus lockdown earlier in the year and worked tirelessly throughout the General Election campaign in 2019. The Officers particularly appreciate his support and the value of his long experience.