James Ashley (politician)

James Ashley (21 May 1940 – 12 August 2006)James Ashley was a Liberal Democrat politician in the City of Manchester, where he was a councillor for the Gorton South ward from 1987 until his death in 2006.

In May 2006 James Ashley became the Lord Mayor of Manchester for the year 2006/7.

Born in North Manchester, James Ashley lived in Gorton.

He was appointed to the Manchester City bench in 1971 and has continued his role as a Magistrate for 34 years. Councillor Ashley was also the deputy president for the Manchester South Valuation Tribunal, which is a local, independent, voluntary lay tribunal that resolves disputes concerning council tax bands and commercial property rates.

Councillor Ashley campaigned for the creation of Gorton Heritage Trail along Gore Bank Valley conservation area.

In his spare time Councillor Ashley enjoyed discovering the English countryside and dabbled in water-colour.

His voluntary work included: Victim Support, Gorton Community Forum, Blackley Civic Society, Charlestown Tenants and Residents Association and the Management Committee of Sacred Heart Community Hall. He had also been the governor of St. Richards, Longsight and St. Albans (as was), Gorton.

Councillor Ashley had also been a member of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Building Section and a member of the Northwest Regional Advisory Committee for Building and Civic Engineering.

James Ashley was a self-employed events, print and promotions advisor. He had previously worked as Floor Manager at the City Exhibition Hall, Regional Director of the London Building Centre Group and Secretary to the Northwest Region of the Building Centre Trust.

References

External links

* [http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/scripts/news_article.php?newsID=1724 Lord Mayor of Manchester has passed away] . (manchester.gov.uk).
* [http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/220/220594_lord_mayor_of_manchester_dies.html Lord Mayor of Manchester dies] . (The Manchester Evening News).