Winston Booth

He stood as a Liberal in 1968, became chairman of planning, and such was his commitment and dedication that in 1973 the council elected him as its youngest-ever chairman – and he lived to be its last surviving chairman.

His term came to an end the following year with the re-organisation of local government which saw the

UDC abolished and Baildon absorbed by Bradford District Council.

For Mr Booth, it was a bitter pill and, having no interest in big city politics, he never again stood for public office.

The elder of two children, he was born in Bradford and went to the city's Hanson Grammar School. He then got an apprenticeship as a machine tool fitter with Chadwick's engineering of Cleckheaton.

Other jobs followed. In 1960 he married Bessie Arnold, the couple moving that same year to Baildon.

He joined Henry Barrett Steel Buildings Division in 1973, rose to be works director and in 1987 went to Henry Brooks Steel fabricators as works manager, remaining until his retirement in 2000. He was a member of Keighley Golf Club.

He is survived by his wife Bessie, their three children, Mark, Guy and Penny, and seven grandchildren.