Mayor of Newcastle-under-Lyme dies in fatal road crash
Councillor Barry Panter's death was confirmed by the local authority
The mayor of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Councillor Barry Panter has died following a collision.
Cllr Panter had been involved in a road traffic collision last Thursday (February 13th), his local authority confirmed.
Panter had been the mayor of the borough during the 2024-2025 season, and during his time in office had been raising money for good causes such as the Salvation Army and Headway North Staffordshire.
Speaking on the death of the mayor, Simon Tagg, leader of the council said: "Barry’s friends and colleagues are shocked to hear this news.
"We all saw him on Wednesday, chairing the meeting of Full Council with his usual authority, and now to hear this is simply terrible.
"My thoughts, and those of the Council, are with his wife Beatrice, family and friends."
Cllr Panter was born in Bedford, before leaving to join the Royal Air Force at the age of 19. After his stint in the military, he worked as part of the South West Constabulary for 23 years before moving to Staffordshire in 2002.
He was eventually elected to local politics in 2016, when he secured a seat to represent Loggerheads ward of the town.