Cabinet chief who arrived on the Windrush to become city mayor

A long-standing Shire Hall chief who arrived in the UK on the HMT Empire Windrush and has dedicated her life to public service is stepping down from her role to become mayor of Gloucester.

Longlevens councillor Kathy Williams, 72, will no longer be the cabinet member for adult social care delivery from May.

The Conservative is lined up to be elected as Gloucester’s fist citizen at Gloucester City Council’s annual meeting in May.

Cllr Williams, who is a former nurse, says it was her “last opportunity” to become mayor as she is due to stand down from the city council next year. “I’m a dual-hated councillor,” she said.

“I’m on the city council and Gloucestershire County Council and this is my last year on the city council after 15 years.

It’s my last opportunity to be the mayor of Gloucester. I’ve thought a lot about it but I thought it’s now or never.

“I’m standing down after serving on the cabinet for ten years which is quite a long time and I’m going to be mayor and the sheriff will be Justin Hudson.”

She said the aim of her year as mayor is to raise money for Gloucester City Farm and the Music Works. And will be standing down as cabinet member at the annual county council meeting in May. Her successor is understood to be Cheltenham councillor Stephan Fifield.

Born in what was then the Federation of Malaya but brought up in Gloucestershire, Cllr Williams was among those who came to Britain on the HMT Empire Windrush.

“I was born in Kuala Lumpur as my father was in the Army. I was a British citizen but when it came to getting a passport I had quite a few difficulties. And when I became a nurse they wanted a photograph.

“Although I was born in Kuala Lumpur, I’ve always considered that Gloucestershire is my home.

“I’ve lived in Gloucestershire since I was three years old when we came to the Ashchurch Army camp and I’ve been in the county ever since.

“My background is in nursing. I’m a doubly qualified nurse in general nursing and psychiatric nursing. I was a manager for Hatherley Road Day Centre, worked in social care and then retired but after getting involved in a local campaign I was asked to stand as a councillor.”

She became a county councillor in 2005 and then joined the city council in 2007. “It was a baptism of fire. Perhaps the floods really put me on the frontline.

“It was a terrible time and I managed to organise volunteers in Longlevens and worked with the other councillors. It took over our lives for months. I’d like to think I’ve done my bit for Longlevens and the city and the county.

“I was asked to join the cabinet in 2013. I’ve enjoyed it. It’s great. This is my swansong. I’ve got a couple of years left on the county council.

“You’ve just got to keep focussed and use your skills and experience. I will be standing down from the county council in 2025. That will be my 20 years.”

County council leader Mark Hawthorne (C, Quedgeley) said Cllr Williams has been one of our longest serving cabinet members. She has brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to the adult social care portfolio, he said.

“And has also led on supporting asylum seekers through the Afghan and Syrian relocation programme, coordinating our response to the home for Ukraine scheme and during Covid leading on the support to the homeless as part of the ‘all in’ strategy.

“Kathy has been an outstanding public servant, and I know she will enjoy her year as Mayor of Gloucester”

By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter

Gloucester News Centre – http://gloucesternewscentre.co.uk