Long-standing Northampton councillor set to retire 'undefeated' after serving his beloved ward for 18 years
A long-standing councillor has announced he is retiring ‘undefeated’ after serving his beloved Northampton community for 18 consecutive years.
Liberal Democrat councillor Dennis Meredith, who has represented the Talavera ward since 2006, is set to retire in May 2025, when the next local elections take place.
The 82-year-old said: “I have come to the conclusion that now is the time for me to retire. It’s been a wonderful journey. I shall be sorry to retire, but I’m going to look after myself and my family.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve achieved so much for Talavera, and it has been a wonderful experience. I’ve met so many lovely people, so many residents who have supported me. I believe I have improved Talavera to be a really nice place to live."
Explaining the reason behind his decision, Councillor Meredith said: “I’ve always been a councillor that mixes with residents… but when you get to a certain age, you can’t do that anymore. I’m 83 in January, and I believe there is a time in your life when you’ve got to say, leave it to the younger generation to take over the mantle.”
He continued: “I miss meeting the residents, so I think this is the way to go out, undefeated. It was a safe Labour seat before I became a councillor. I’ve been voted in every time. It shows how much the residents have supported me, and I’d like to thank them for that. To me, it’s very special to go out undefeated.”
Reflecting on his career, he added: “I feel sad, but I look back and think to myself, I’ve done well, and say, ‘you ain’t done bad, Dennis.’”
On his affection for his ward, he said: “People say they don’t want to live on the eastern side of town. I’ve always chosen to live here because I think it’s one of the best places to live. It’s in the countryside, it’s beautiful, the air’s fresh. It’s a really good place to live.”
When asked why he became a councillor, he said: “Because of my upbringing, I always liked to help people. If I’m helping people solve their problems, from housing to homelessness to mental health, I always send them in the right direction. And I’ve wanted to do that ever since I was younger. That’s why I wanted to become a councillor—to help people less fortunate than myself.”
On what makes a good councillor, he added: “You’ve got to listen to what residents want. Sometimes you won’t get the result you want, but you have to keep on trying. Keep them fully in the picture.
“A good comment made to me was, ‘See Councillor Meredith because he gets things done.’”
Councillor Meredith has just published his autobiography, My Life… The Way I See It, which recounts his journey from a difficult upbringing to becoming mayor of Northampton.
Asked about his plans for retirement, he said: “Promoting my new book, then concentrating on my garden and making it look nice.”
In addition to representing his ward, Councillor Meredith served on the planning committee for many years, was involved in scrutiny, and was honoured to be made town mayor in 2022. He was also made an Alderman, which he describes as a ‘great honour.’