THE work of a dedicated and long-serving York school governor has been recognized.

Irene Waudby helped decide a York primary school’s name even before it had been built, and has stepped down after 28 years of service.

Mrs Waudby was a North Yorkshire County Councillor when what is now Lakeside Primary Academy was still a greenfield site and had a working name of “Clifton Number 2”.

She went on to become a City of York councillor and Lord Mayor twice and was appointed chair of governors for the first governing body.

Mrs Waudby was heavily involved in the selection and recruitment of the first teaching staff.

And she was also the first woman to hold the office of Lord Mayor twice over. She once made an official visit to the school in full regalia – complete with robes, sword and mace – and allowed some of the children to sit in the civic car as a treat.

Head of school Helen Hayes-Smith paid tribute to Mrs Waudby.

She said: “Everyone at school and across the trust applauds Irene’s dedication to the wellbeing of thousands of children who have passed through Lakeside in the past 28 years – including her own grandson and granddaughter.

"It’s an incredible achievement.”

Mrs Waudby was presented with a selection of gifts and flowers at a special Lakeside assembly to say thank you for her service to the school.

When Mrs Waudby stopped being a Liberal Democrat councillor representing the Rawcliffe and Skelton ward in 2011, she went on to become an aldermen of the city in recognition of her years of service.

The role of alderman is reserved for those who have given 20 years or more of service to the city authority.

Lakeside was rated as good by Ofsted when it was last inspected in 2016.

At the time the school, in Oakdale Road, Clifton Moor, had 279 pupils on roll.

Today Lakeside is part of Ebor Academy Trust, after becoming an academy in April 2018.

The York-based trust now has 24 schools spanning York, Selby, the East Riding and The Humber and on the Yorkshire Coast.

The initial decision to form Ebor Academy Trust was to formalise the relationship between Robert Wilkinson Primary Academy and Haxby Road School, which had been in a challenging position for many years.

Ebor schools, in York also include Hob Moor Community Primary Academy, Hob Moor Oaks, Lakeside Primary Academy, Park Grove Primary and Osbaldwick Primary.

The Press reported yesterday that Peter D Acaster has taken retirement and stepped down from his role as chairman of Ebor Academy Trust at the last trustee meeting in September.

He had been in post since the inception of the trust, in 2013.