Congratulations to Cllr Margaret Eaton, the Chairman of the Local Government Association, who has been awarded the title Dame of the British Empire in the New Year's Honours List. The former Conservative leader of Bradford Council she is the first female chairman of the LGA. She was formerly chairman of the Conservative Councillors Association.
Many congratulations also to Cllr Lurline Champagnie, a charismatic and hard working Harrow Conservative councillor who has been awarded an OBE and, for their MBEs, to Cllr Ann Ducker, the Conservative leader of South Oxfordshire District Council and Cllr Josephine Spencer, Conservative councillor on Christchurch Borough Council.
Other honours include a CBE to Cllr Peter Box, the Labour leader of Wakefield Council, and MBEs for Cllr Zaphne Stratton, a Labour councillor in Cannock, Cllr Yogan Yoganathan, a Lib Dem councillor in Kingston and Cllr Thomas Evans, a Lib Dem councillor on Ceredigion. So, given the season of goodwill, congratulations to them too.