Former mayor Philip Blundell dies aged 83

2 hours ago

Alec Blackmanin Warwickshire

Philip, or Phil, Blundell, was mayor of Rugby in 1978 and also served as a Labour councillor for Newbold for 10 years

Rugby Borough Council Picture of Philip Blundell. He has grey hair and beard and is smiling. He is wearing a while shirt under a — Philip, or Phil, Blundell, was mayor of Rugby in 1978 and also served as a Labour councillor for Newbold for 10 years

Tributes are being paid to Philip Blundell, the former mayor of Rugby and freeman of the town, who has died aged 83 after a short illness.

A teacher, he was elected as the Labour councillor for the Newbold ward on Rugby Borough Council in 1973, and continued to represent the area for a decade.

Phil, as he was know, was made mayor in 1978 and then awarded the Freedom of the Borough in 1992, recognising his contribution to public service.

Maggie O'Rourke, deputy Labour leader at Rugby Borough Council, said "Phil was always someone I could look up to and respect. He was a brilliant public speaker and a formidable debater, always passionate about the causes he believed in."

Jerry Roodhouse, the leader of the Liberal Democrats at Rugby Borough Council, knew and worked with Blundell and said he was a proper, community-minded local politician.

Blundell also served as leader of Warwickshire County Council, and was chair of the Rugby Primary Care Trust with, among other roles in his career, a seat on the board of the National Police Improvement Agency

Rugby Borough Council A black and white picture of Philip Blundell. He has dark hair and a moustache. — Blundell also served as leader of Warwickshire County Council, and was chair of the Rugby Primary Care Trust with, among other roles in his career, a seat on the board of the National Police Improvement Agency

"He didn't lose sight of the people who elected him, no matter what he was doing at whatever political level" Roodhouse said.

"The hard debate would take place in committee rooms or council chambers, but once you walked out of those doors, you'd quite happily go an have a pint of beer with him and talk about the A&E and other issues in Rugby.

"We always got along because we knew we could leave the debating chamber to the debating chamber and come out and work on community issues together."

'He will be greatly missed'

O'Rourke echoed that in her statement.

"Phil never took himself too seriously," she said. "He always understood that political disagreements belong in the council chamber and never allowed them to become personal.

"Phil will be greatly missed and my thoughts are with his family at this difficult time."

Blundell maintained his work in public service after his time as a councillor, chairing the Rugby Primary Care Trust and as a non-executive director on the board at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust.

He was also chief executive of the government-backed Birmingham City Challenge group and between 2007 and 2010, was on the board of the National Police Improvement Agency.

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