Fortis Green councillor Barbara Fabian has stepped down as a localcouncillor for the area. Barbara Fabian was elected in 2002 and has takenthe decision to resign because of ill-health. The news means there will be aby-election in Fortis Green ward in November.

Barbara Fabian comments:

“It has not been an easy decision, and I willgreatly miss being a councillor. I feel we have brought real benefits to theneighbourhood in the last couple of years. Only this week we have seen ourpolice station front counter opened to the public, and we have a bus serviceconnecting us with Hampstead and Swiss Cottage. The task now is to build onthese real improvements in the coming years. I have been putting offtackling health problems for some time, and I will now be able toconcentrate on having surgery on both my knees.”

Lib Dem Leader Neil Williams adds:

“We will greatly miss Barbara and we all wish her well. I know she has beenfinding it increasingly difficult, because of ill health, to carry on as acouncillor, and we will greatly miss her expertise, particularly oneducation and social services issues, where her years of professionalexperience brought a huge amount of expertise.”

Fortis Green was gained by the Lib Dems from Labour at the last localelections. In the London-wide election in June, the Lib Dems again beatLabour in the ward, with the Tories a distant third. Margaret Thatcher wasPrime Minister when the Tories last represented the area.

Result in June’s GLA elections in the ward: Lib Dem 32%, Labour 26%, Tories 21%.