Tributes to former borough councillor (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Tributes to former borough councillor

10:55am Wednesday 12th July 2006 in Local By Kate Martin

TRIBUTES have been paid to a dedicated former borough councillor who lost her battle with motor neurone disease.

Gill Nethercott (pictured right), who represented Whitchurch on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council for 12 years and had served on the town council since 1990, suffered a heart attack on Wednesday, June 5.

She was taken to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester, where she was treated by doctors, but passed away the following day.

Mrs Nethercott, 57, who was Whitchurch's first female mayor, serving from 1996 to 1999, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in October 2004.

By the time she resigned from the borough council in March this year due to ill health, she was confined to a wheelchair.

Her husband of 32 years, Paul Nethercott, spoke of his pride at the way his wife had dedicated herself to helping the community in Whitchurch.

Gill had been a highly valued member of the Liberal Democrat group and she will be a hard act to follow

North West Hampshire Liberal Democrats

He said: "If she saw something that needed doing, she did not just complain about it - she used to do something about it.

"She was professional in everything she did and I am very proud of her."

Mr Nethercott thanked his friends and neighbours, and his wife's carers, for their support.

Borough councillors who had served alongside Mrs Nethercott praised her hard work on projects in Whitchurch, such as saving the local post office and securing a new community centre - which has been named after her.

Borough mayor Councillor Tony Jones said: "We are deeply saddened by news of the death of Gill Nethercott.

"A well-respected councillor, she was dedicated to serving Whitchurch and the borough.

"She was a very active member of the Whitchurch community and she always had the interests of the people she represented at heart.

"A member of the council since 1994, Gill held a number of senior positions, most notably chairing the development control committee.

"It was particularly poignant for her to see the start of work on the Whitchurch community centre in March, a project she had championed with energy and enthusiasm."

Fellow Whitchurch borough councillor Alison Wall added: "She and I worked together for about 11 years and we divided our work as borough councillors between us and supported each other.

"She will be sorely missed by me."

A statement on the North West Hampshire Liberal Democrats' website said: "Gill will be greatly missed by concerned local people and by members of the councils on which she served.

"She was a great campaigner and had a talent for motivating groups of volunteers to work with the authorities in serving the community.

"Gill had been a highly valued member of the Liberal Democrat group and she will be a hard act to follow."

As well as her husband, Mrs Nethercott leaves a son, Mark. A date for her funeral has not yet been set.