It is with great sadness we report that Cllr Tony Crouch, a much loved and respected member of the community representing Keynsham North Ward, passed away on Friday Dec 18th after a battle with cancer.
The Council extends its sincerest condolences to his family on the loss of a wonderful husband, father and grandfather.
Cllr Crouch has been an elected Councillor on the Town Council for 21 years since it was formed in 1991 and has contributed to all the major Committees including most recently serving as Chair of the Planning & Development Committee.
He was a gentle giant of a man, with his interests firmly rooted in the church, the community and the people of Keynsham. He was especially focused on representing the needs of those less fortunate whilst championing the causes of those community organisations such a Keynsham & District DialARide who were there to help.
Tony loved Council meetings and although relatively quiet (for the most part), he would step in when he felt strongly about something and could be relied upon to use his encyclopaedic knowledge of Council procedures to chivvy the Council along with a sensible motion or two if he felt the discussion was going off track. He was also mindful of how Council decisions could impact on staff workloads, and was an emphatic advocate for the staff wellbeing on many occasions.
One of our existing staff members recalls
“Tony was a Councillor in 1992 when I first started working for the Council and I always got on well with him and he got on particularly well with the then Town Clerk Derek Wolfe. In the year he was Chairman of the Council he used to come into the office regularly, was always very pleasant and jovial and very considerate of the staff who he would regularly thank for the work they were doing”
As a Councillor, Tony believed passionately in the work and functioning of the Town Council, and that it continued to be an effective voice for local democracy in action. He has been a highly respected and much loved Councillor (and friend) and it seems fitting to end this tribute with the words of one of our newest Councillors
“When I first joined the Council, with no experience, it didn’t take me long to realise what a really cool, fair and knowledgeable man Tony Crouch was. He was one of the councillors who have really helped me understand what it is to be a councillor, and understand my role. Tony was somebody who was ALWAYS happy to be at the end of the phone, and help and share his experience and knowledge of Town Council protocol and procedures, and was such a level-headed and lovely man”
We will miss Tony very much, and Keynsham has indeed lost one of it’s precious treasures
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family this Christmas.