Tributes have been paid to a 'great community activist' who served as a Tameside councillor and mayoress. Sheila Ballagher, who represented Ashton Waterloo from 1999 to 2004, has died aged 68.
Mrs Ballagher was one of three members of her family to serve on the local authority, along with husband Mike Ballagher and daughter Eleanor Wills, who has represented the Dukinfield-Stalybridge ward since 2014. She supported Mr Ballagher, who is now an honorary alderman of Tameside, as mayoress in 1996-97 and deputy mayoress in 1993-94.
Mrs Ballagher also served on Tameside's racial equality council. Coun Wills, who is Tameside Council's executive member for population health and wellbeing, told the Manchester Evening News she was 'heartbroken' following the loss of her mum - but her 'love, strength and steadfast family ethos will live on'.
She said: "Throughout my mum's working life she was a great community activist, not only as a local authority councillor but also within her role at Tameside racial equality council. As a mother she loved nothing more than knowing everyone was safe and happy, looking after me and my dad for many years.
"She adored her three grandchildren and fought a phenomenal fight over the last three years to get to watch them grow. But Covid delivered lots of sacrifices for her, most of which she didn’t recover from.
"She will be missed by us all but her love, strength and steadfast family ethos will live on in all of us. It breaks my heart to not have my mum by side but I know she’s up there with my brother Edward watching over us all making sure we’re all safe and happy still."
Coun Ged Cooney, leader of Tameside Council, said he was 'deeply saddened' to learn of Mrs Ballagher's death. He added: "Sheila was one of three members of the Ballagher family who have given many years of dedicated service to the people of Tameside.
“On behalf of the council, and the whole of Tameside, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to Mike and Eleanor at this very sad and difficult time.”
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