News

With great sadness, this message is to let you know that Councillor John Birnie passed away on Saturday 24 August 2024.  

Cllr Birnie joined Dacorum Borough Council having been elected as a Conservative councillor for Bennetts End in 2015. In 2019 he was re-elected as a Conservative Councillor for Adeyfield East.

From May 2022 to May 2023, he served as Mayor of Dacorum, supporting Dacorum Community Trust as the Mayor’s chosen charity, and presided over a mayoral term covering notable events including the Commonwealth Queen's Baton Relay, Platinum Jubilee events, the passing of the Queen and Proclamation of King Charles III in Dacorum.

In May 2023 local elections, he stood as an Independent candidate in Bennetts End, and was successfully re-elected.

He took a particular interest in Strategic Planning and the Environment and was a long-standing member of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, having previously held the position of Chair of the Committee. He also sat on Audit Committee amongst other roles.

On behalf of the Council we send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time.