South Staffordshire Council’s leader has been named among the 2024 New Year’s Honours List for his services to the local community.
Councillor Roger Lees has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for his contribution to the district.
Leader of South Staffordshire Council since 2021, Cllr Lees has been in local government for 32 years, having begun on Swindon Parish Council in 1991, before being elected a district councillor in 2007, and becoming a cabinet member in 2009.
He has been involved in a range of community initiatives and sat as a magistrate on the South Staffordshire Bench for 22 years.
When defining a BEM, The Cabinet Office states it is for the ‘achievement or contribution of a very hands-on service to the community’.
Commenting on the medal, Cllr Lees said he was ‘overwhelmed’ to have been among those on the New Year’s Honours List.
“This is a tremendous honour indeed – and one which I am most humbled and proud to receive,” he said.
“South Staffordshire is somewhere that has always been a place most close to my heart and to be given this incredible title for the work I have done for the district is truly wonderful.”
The submission nominating Cllr Lees for the national honour said he had ‘championed several key programmes’ and been ‘instrumental in the ongoing success of South Staffordshire Council which was named Council of the Year 2022 by national awards body iESE’.
“His emphasis on delivering quality services for our communities and ensuring the council maintains and enhances the environment of our district has ensured ongoing value for money and quality outcomes for our communities across South Staffordshire,” says the nomination.
It also talks of his work as leader with Staffordshire Police to increase their presence at the award-winning Codsall Community Hub – ‘ensuring a stronger police presence in the district’.
“Response teams were re-located from outside the district to a central location bringing with them faster response times for our communities,” it adds.
The nomination also highlights his leadership relating to the South Staffordshire Local Plan, ensuring communities’ priorities remained at the forefront against a challenging and constantly changing national policy background.
Another key local programme featured in the submission is the Rural Exception Housing Site which Cllr Lees led on in his home village of Swindon. This scheme went on to gain national recognition and ensured local people could continue to remain in the village community.