Tribute paid to respected long-serving Bury St Edmunds councillor Paul Farmer

Tribute has been paid to a respected Bury St Edmunds councillor and former headmaster who has died.

Paul Farmer, 73, was a councillor for more than a decade – serving on the town, borough and county councils – before standing down in 2015.

But, prior to becoming involved in local politics Paul had enjoyed a distinguished career in teaching.

He first moved to Suffolk in 1977, living in Lavenham, and took on a senior teaching post in Ipswich.

He then became deputy headmaster of Dick Sheppard School, in London, and commuted there weekly.

During that time he became Lavenham’s first Labour parish councillor, studied part-time for a London University MA and wrote several educational books.

After becoming headmaster of Dick Sheppard School aged 33, Paul moved to London, later becoming headteacher of Sedgehill School.

He returned to Suffolk in 1990 and lived in Walsham-le-Willows, where he was organist and choirmaster, often also playing for services at Westhorpe and Finningham churches.

He was also a teacher and choirmaster at Old Buckenham Hall School, in Brettenham.

Paul’s experience of teacher militancy in London had turned him away from the Labour party and in 1991 he became the Conservative candidate for Gislingham in the district council elections.

A year later he became county councillor for Southgate and Westgate, in Bury, and was later vice-chairman of the Walsham-le-Willows branch of the Conservative party.

During this time he renovated Botany Farm, on the edge of Walsham-le-Willows and Westhorpe, rebuilding an old barn which had suffered in the 1987 gales.

In 1995, Paul moved to Thurston and later lived on the Saxon Gate development, off Southgate Street, in Bury.

He became involved with the Bury Conservative Association, becoming vice-chairman, as well as being chairman of Abbeygate Conservatives.

In 2003 he was elected to St Edmundsbury Borough and Bury Town councils.

In 2013 he was awarded an MBE for services to the community in Suffolk and in 2015 he retired from local politics, at the time saying he had decided to ‘give way to someone younger and fitter’.

During his time as a councillor he raised funds for charity by playing the piano at various locations in the town.

West Suffolk councillor John Griffiths said: “I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of our friend and former council colleague.

“Throughout his career – from being a nationally recognised educator, to his work setting up the first registered UK charity specialising in exclusively male health problems – his thoughts were always on helping others. During this time he also put on a number of piano performances, raising money for charities.

“For more than a decade, he championed his Abbeygate ward and the wider area on the town council and Suffolk County Council, as well as being portfolio holder for arts and culture, and later resources and efficiency, at St Edmundsbury Borough Council. Rightly, his amazing public service was recognised by Her Majesty The Queen in the Birthday honours list.

“Paul will be much missed and very fondly remembered by us all. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.”

Vivien Gainsborough Foot, of the Churchgate Area Association (CAA), said: “He was the very best councillor you could ever wish for and the CAA were devastated when he had to stand down.”