I have been a councillor since May 1995 when I served on Market Rasen Town Council and then I became a District Councillor, initially in 1999 as one of the Market Rasen Ward members, and then in 2003 as the Middle Rasen Ward member after I moved to the village.

My resignation has come about as a result of my appointment as the Children's Services Team Manager (West Lindsey) by Lincolnshire County Council.

Whilst the appointment is an exciting career move for me (managing in the district services to children and young people such as education welfare, school extended provision, youth service, Connexions, children's centre's and others), it is a "politically restricted" post and therefore national legislation forces me to resign as an elected member.
In my time as a councillor it has been a privilege to serve the residents of Market Rasen, Tealby, Walesby, Lissington, North Willingham, Middle Rasen, Osgodby, Owersby, West Rasen and other areas.

I have always felt a sense of humility at election time when I was elected or re-elected into office and I regret not being permitted to at least 'serve my time', given that I was re-elected in May 2007 for four years.

I did appeal against the decision, and genuinely felt I stood a chance of winning, but unfortunately it wasn't to be and my time in office came to an end on August 31.
Whilst I may not miss the late evening calls resulting in yet another dinner going cold, I wouldn't have had it any other way. My role, as I saw it, was always to do what I could to ensure people were treated with compassion and fairness and on occasions to make decisions, in a community leadership sense, which needed to made but were sometimes not universally popular.

I will watch with interest the development of the swimming pool project, something I personally have worked for from the moment of my election to the District Council in 1999.

Finally, I thank all those who have supported me in my district council role particularly since my move to Middle Rasen in 2003. In particular I would like to make special mention of those people serving as parish councillors in local villages, who do so in a wholly voluntary capacity and others who put their heads above the parapet to do something positive for the community they are a part of.

May there be forever people prepared to do their bit for the community.

Gary Fenwick
Mallowfield, Middle Rasen.