Hitchin MP Bim Afolami pays tribute to the late Judi Billing

It was with great sadness last week that we were informed of the passing of Councillor Judi Billing MBE, writes Bim Afolami.

Judi served Hitchin with great dedication and compassion, and I know from the conversations we had how much she loved our local community and the town. 

This has been a year when we have reflected deeply on service. What it means to serve your community, your country and your values. I don't know many people who better exemplified that value of service than Judi Billing, who served Hitchin every day.

From her election in 1980 as a District Councillor and her subsequent election as a County Councillor in 2013 when she stepped up following the sad passing of her husband David, she was a tireless and fearless advocate for local people and served them with everything she had. 

Judi was the kind of person who represents what politics should be about – principled, passionate about serving her community, and unafraid to speak up when she felt that something wasn't right. We didn't always see eye-to-eye, but despite being in different parties it was always a pleasure to work with Judi on our ultimate shared priority of making Hitchin a better place for the people who live here. 

As a Member of Parliament, sometimes people are afraid to tell you if you are doing something wrong – that was never the case with Judi!

I always knew that if I was doing something that she disagreed with, Judi would let me know, but I also knew that those interventions came not from a place of petty party politics, but from a place of genuine passion for this great town and a desire to see all of its people thrive.

I will miss her enthusiasm for serving her community, the humour and warmth she brought to an often otherwise very tough business, and the wealth of knowledge that she had which (even on the other side of the aisle) I could and did call upon. 

I know that local people in Hitchin will feel this loss deeply and that in the coming days we will have opportunities to honour and celebrate Judi's immense service to our town. My thoughts are with her family, friends, colleagues and all who loved her dearly. 

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