A FORMER leader of Bury Council has paid tribute to the outstanding leadership of Malcolm Gray, Chief Education Officer in the borough from its creation in 1974 until he retired in 1992.

Mr Gray, aged 90, died in St James’s Hospital, Leeds, on April 18, and his funeral took place yesterday. Ex-councillor Laurie Bullas told the Bury Times: “Under his leadership Bury, one of the smallest and worst-funded education authorities in the country, became one of the best.

“We were fortunate to be able to recruit Malcolm to the post during the massive local government reorganisation in England in 1973-4, and he gathered round him a first-class team of officers.

“They did their best to support schools in their efforts to cope with the constant changes thrown at them by national governments of both main parties. Malcolm’s priority was always the children and their attainment.

“As a result, Bury was always one of the top three local authorities in Greater Manchester for GCSE results.

“The situation has changed now, and local education authorities are no longer able to provide the support for schools which Bury was able to give in those days.”

Mr Gray was born in Derbyshire and graduated from Bristol University. After national service as an education officer in the RAF he became a geography teacher. He then joined the education department in Rotherham, became deputy director of education in Solihull, and was education director in Wakefield before moving to Bury.

Mr Bullas said: “Malcolm’s philosophy was captured in the answer he gave when I asked him one day how he coped with all the pressure coming at him from many different directions.

“He said if he felt it was starting to get to him he would spend a morning in a primary school and ‘that reminds me what it’s all about.’ “

After retiring, Mr Gray served for many years on the board of Bury Hospice. He was a season ticket holder at Bury FC, watched cricket at Old Trafford, and was a member at Ainsworth Methodist Church.

His first wife, Maureen, died in 1980. After the death of his second wife, Bertha, in 2007, he moved back to Wakefield to be near his family. He leaves four children, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

His daughter Vivienne Crossley said: “He was greatly loved and will be sadly missed by us all and by his wide circle of friends.”

The funeral was at Crigglestone Methodist Church and Wakefield Crematorium, and because of current restrictions only close family members attended.