Leader of Hounslow Council, Cllr Shantanu Rajawat has released a statement following the sad news that Cllr Richard Foote has passed away aged 82.
"It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of Councillor Richard Winston Foote, who has died aged 82, while still serving as the sitting councillor for the Hanworth Village ward.
"Born in Hanworth in 1943, Cllr Foote defined himself as a democratic socialist from the age of sixteen. At eighteen, he joined the Transport and General Workers Union, where he supported members at both Heathrow and Gatwick Airports. He soon became an active member of the Labour Party, serving as secretary of the Feltham Branch and acting as election agent for the successful campaigns of Russell Kerr MP and Tony Banks as a member of the Greater London Council.
"Cllr Foote was first elected as a Labour Councillor for the Hanworth Ward in 1968, serving the newly formed London Borough of Hounslow until 1974. During this period, he was elected Chair of the Housing Committee, where he proudly oversaw the construction of a record number of council houses, resolved significant development issues on the Ivy Bridge estate and established innovative Housing Advisory Committees that were ahead of their time.
"In 1974, he stepped away from public office to focus on his career at British Airways, rising to the positions of Cargo Operations Manager and later Road Services Manager Worldwide.
"Following his retirement, Cllr Foote returned to the Council in 2014, once again representing the Hanworth area until 2022, and then the newly created Hanworth Village ward after boundary changes.
"With a longstanding interest in policing and community safety, he was appointed Cabinet Member for Community Protection from 2014 to 2017. He went on to serve as Chair of the Hanworth Area Forum, Chair of the Licensing and General Purposes Committee, Vice-Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and as a member of the Planning Development Committee and Health and Safety Committee.
"Outside of his political and professional life, Cllr Foote was a keen sportsman and enthusiast, enjoying playing and watching cricket, reading, travelling, and participating enthusiastically in the Hampton and District Darts League.
"Councillor Foote's lifelong commitment to public service, social justice, and the people of Hanworth leaves a lasting legacy. He will be greatly missed by his colleagues, friends, and the community he served with such dedication for over two decades across two distinguished periods in office."
