Derek Lawson was first elected as a Councillor to the Borough Council of Higham Ferrers in 1964. He has served on that Council and its successor Town Council (1974) ever since. He has been Mayor on three occasions 1966/67, 1977/78, and 1999/2000 and has served on all committees.
In 1976 he was elected to the District Council of East Northamptonshire and served as Chairman of that Council in 1987/88. He was also Deputy Leader of the Council from 1983 to 1987.
Derek was elected Chairman of the Ferrers School (later the Ferrers Specialist Art College) in 1979 and served in that capacity for 27 years until he stood down in 2006. When the new Henry Chichele Primary School was built in Higham Ferrers in 2004, Derek became its first Chairman and presided for the first two years until the school was up and running.
Derek has been a County Councillor for 30 years and a member of the Northamptonshire Police Committee/Authority for 26 years. He is currently the Deputy Chairman of the Police Authority and serves on a number of committees mainly to do with community development and diversity issues.
In his private life Derek is married to Mary, they have 5 grown up children, 10 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. His interests include reading, education, history, American politics and enjoying his garden which is nurtured and cultivated almost exclusively by his wife Mary, although he does sometimes mow the lawn.
He was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s honours this year and attended his investiture in March.