Wrexham Council has paid tribute to former councillor and chief executive Bob Dutton OBE, who sadly passed away recently.
Mr Dutton began working in local government as a young man in the late 1960s, and went on to forge an outstanding career – eventually serving as chief executive of Wrexham Maelor Borough Council up until his retirement in 1995.
He also played a key role in the Federation of Economic Development Authorities (FEDA) – a UK-wide partnership that worked to attract business investment and stimulate economic growth.
In 1999 he returned to local government as a councillor, representing the Erddig ward for many years, up until 2017.
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During this time he served as deputy leader of the council for a number years, and as a lead member. He was also a representative on the Mersey Dee Alliance (MDA) and served a term as chair.
The flag at the Guildhall will be flown at half-mast over the coming days as a mark of respect, and Councillor Mark Pritchard, Leader of the Council, has paid tribute to the tremendous contribution that Mr Dutton made to Wrexham during his lifetime.
He said: “Bob was wonderful man and a dedicated public servant, who did so much for Wrexham.
“As a senior officer and chief executive, he was instrumental in persuading many important businesses to come here during the 1980s and 90s – helping to create thousands of new jobs and attracting huge amounts of business investment into Wrexham.
“That was so important at a time when traditional industries like coal mining and steel were coming to an end, and there’s no doubt that Bob helped Wrexham attract new industries and forge a new future for itself.
“As a councillor I had the honour of working with Bob for many years, and he was a true gentleman who always worked tirelessly for the good of the people of Wrexham.
“On behalf of councillors and employees at the council, I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathy to Bob’s family. Wrexham has truly lost one of its greatest public servants, and he will be sorely missed.”
