A FORMER Mayor and Atherton Councillor, who dedicated 36 years of his life to public service, has been honoured.

Jack Sumner, who stepped down from civic life at the last local elections, has been made an alderman.

He received a framed scroll embossed with the council's seal and a citation recognising his distinguished service to the borough at Wednesday night's council meeting in Wigan.

Jack, now 80, said: "I am delighted to receive this honour. It gives me the feeling that I am still part of the council. I have nothing but praise for Wigan Council, it is one of the best in the country.

"I am glad to have been a part of it all. There are a lot of good councillors doing great work for all the former districts and working together for the future of the borough."

Jack served on Atherton Council from 1962, representing North ward for 12 years, and was then elected to the Atherton Ward of Wigan MBC in 1974 until 1978 and from 1979 to this year.

During that time he was Mayor in 1986-87 after twice being Chairman of Atherton Council.

Among many other posts he has been chairman of the governors at Atherton Two Porches Special School, Tyldesley Highfield School and Parklee Primary School.

He was a member of the governing body of Hesketh Fletcher CE High School, vice chairman of the Leigh Constituency Labour Party for many years and its president for two.

Jack said: "I have still not settled down. People still come to see me and I give them what advice I can.

"Otherwise I've passed my time with a bit of gardening."

Wigan's 10 surviving Honorary Aldermen are Jack Smith (1991), Maurice Lea (1994), Marian Milligan, Lawrence Birtles and Bernard Holt (1996), Tom Jones (1997) and Arthur Wright and Ken Pye (1998), Ron McAllister and Sam Little (1999).

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