Ex-mayor steps down from Lancaster ward on county council

A former Lancaster mayor, she steps down both as chairman of Lancashire County Council and as county councillor for Lancaster Rural East.

Coun Charles was a city councillor for Ellel from 1999 to 2019 and mayor in 2014/15. She is now an honorary alderman.

She has been a county councillor for 16 years, which included four years as cabinet member for children and schools (2009-13) and two years as cabinet member for children, young people and schools (2017-19).

Coun Charles, whose husband Richard died in 2012, has two sons and a daughter.

Now she is calling it a day after representing a large rural area covering 18 parishes, including Ellel, Caton, Halton and Hornby.

She retires at the elections on May 6 but continues as chairman of the county council until their annual meeting on May 27.

Selected as Conservative candidate to succeed Coun Charles is Matthew Maxwell-Scott.

His election opponents are Lisa Corkerry (Labour), Peter Jackson (Liberal Democrat) and Jan Maskell (Green).