Alan Woodbine (6th January 1934 - 30th January 2001)

Alan and his wife, Maureen, came to live in their new bungalow in Hall Road, Rolleston in 1963 on his appointment as Deputy Treasurer to Repton R.D.C., whose offices were on Rolleston Road. He later became Treasurer of that authority.

When Repton Rural District Council was dissolved during local government re-organisation in 1974, Alan joined South Derbyshire District Council and became Director of Housing until his first retirement in 1990. He then became Regional Manager for the Baptist Housing Association before taking up the position of full time Clerk at Stone in Staffordshire until his second retirement in 1997.

He became Clerk to Rolleston Parish Council in 1970 and remained in that post for seventeen and a half years, a position that his wife, Maureen, has held for the past ten years. With his remarkable knowledge of local government he remained as adviser to the Parish Council. He was part way through his book on the history of Rolleston Parish Council and had been planning on this being published later in the year. He was currently part-time Clerk to Anslow Parish Council.

Alan’s intense interest in parish council and local government legislation led to his election as President of the Society of Local Council Clerks for the Millennium year. He was also a long-serving member of the Staffordshire Parish Councils Association

Alan was Vice-chairman of the Staffordshire Playing Fields Association and he was honoured by the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace two years ago for his work with the Association.

Alan loved Rolleston – during his years as Clerk he advised and assisted with such projects as the purchase of “The Croft” and the former railway line that is now “The Jinny Trail”. (With his help the proposed siting of a rubbish dump on the railway line was defeated)

The Planning Application for the development of Meadow View resulted in all the recreational land in Craythorne Road being given to the village. More latterly his recent work in respect of proposed developments at the Rolleston Campus site will, we hope, have some beneficial effect on the village. In 1968 he was a founder member of the Best Kept Village Committee, the forerunner of Rolleston Civic Trust.

As Chairman of the Village Design Statement Group he was instrumental in producing this Statement, which was circulated to every house in the village. This has been accepted as Supplementary Planning Guidance by the Borough Council and is a blueprint for the future.

Alan was the contact the village had with the Mosley family and regularly corresponded with Lady Diana. Items loaned to him by Nicholas Mosley were on display at the History Exhibition last year.

He had a great love of music and joined the Choral Society the same week he moved to Rolleston. He was currently rehearsing for their next concert, “The Creation”. With other members of the choir he sang with the County Choir on several occasions. With David Yates he was instrumental in the successful Rolleston Music Festivals of the 1960’s and 70’s. He sang occasionally with the Parish Church choir, the last time being at the Christmas Carol Service.

We will all miss him – his ability to see beyond the “here and now” was the rarest of talents. His sudden departure has left his family unprepared, but with the help of his friends they will try to ensure that Alan’s dreams and ambitions are not lost.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family – his wife Maureen, daughters Lisa and Michelle, sons- in- law Tony and Stephen, grandchildren Thomas, Marcus and Charlotte.

(Tribute written by Frank Hall)

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Last updated: 7 October 2006