Council joint leader Marjory Bisset will not stand for re-election

Marjory Bisset, the leader of the Green Party group on the council, is retiring from public life.

She said: “It was a great honour to serve the residents of St Stephen and to serve the residents of the whole city as joint leader this past year.

“I have found the experience of being a councillor to be stimulating, engrossing, burdensome, challenging and rewarding - sometimes all at the same time.

Cllr Bisset with mayor Louis Stephen in 2022 (Image: CHANGE: Cllr Marjory Bisset (right) will replace Cllr Louis Stephen (left) as Green leader)

“I’m looking forward to sorting out my life, having more time for music making and not having to read committee papers.

“I know I shall miss being a councillor and I shall look back on these five years as a special time.”

Tributes were paid to the councillor from across the political spectrum at the city council meeting on Tuesday, March 26.

Joint leader Lynn Denham said she was surprised by the news of Cllr Bisset’s retirement.

“We’ve had an interesting year together as sort-of political Siamese twins,” she said. “We’ve had a year of shared experiences. I can’t imagine not wanting to continue but I hope she enjoys her retirement.”

Cllr Bisset was a candidate in eight local elections and one general. She spent five years as a parish councillor before being elected to the city council five years ago.

Mayor Louis Stephen said: “Marjory is a proud feminist and someone who has an acute sense of right and wrong.

“I think she’s been a diligent and careful leader and she’s somebody who has been a great asset to the city of Worcester.

“From a Green Party perspective I’d like to thank Marjory for everything she’s done to help build the Green Party here in Worcester.

“When she moved to Worcester we had I think just one or two councillors and now we have 11. “She’s been an election agent, she’s chaired the local party, she’s been a group leader and she’s done a great deal to build our party.”

Green councillor Neil Laurenson said: “Marjory joined the Green Party 20 years ago and was an active member of the Reading and Woking group. She moved to Worcester 10 years ago.

“I recently made the mistake of assuming Marjory’s from the south. She’s most definitely originally from Lancashire.

“Last year she made history by becoming the joint leader of the city council. She’s led us through a challenging 10 or so months with enthusiasm and compassion.”

Conservative councillor James Stanley described Cllr Bissett as a “knowledgeable lady with a passion for politics and a passion for the city of Worcester”.

Lib Dem councillor Mel Allcott thanked Cllr Bissett for being a principled politician.