Lloyd Wilce , 86 , is Britain 's longest-serving councillor after 66 years in office . Britain 's longest-serving councillor is hoping to be re-elected for the 16th time – after 66 years in office . Lloyd Wilce , 86 , was first elected in 1949 and has run unopposed for more than 20 years because of a lack of candidates . This year the Labour member will have to defend his seat on Cinderford Town Council in Gloucestershire on May 7 , but is yet to find out how many candidates will run against him . The authority has changed name three times since he was first elected and he has seen countless mayors and leaders . He counts his biggest political victories as securing a bigger swimming pool for the Gloucestershire town and raising enough money to erect a bronze statue of a miner . Great-grandfather Mr Wilce said : 'All those years ago I never thought for a second I would last this long as a councillor . 'In fact , around three years ago I had a spell of poor health and I did n't think I would last much longer . 'But here I am , and I enjoy just being part of the community . I 've always liked joining in with things and being part of what is going on in the area . ' His interest in politics began when he joined the Labour League of Youth as a teenager and became their regional chairman aged 16 . He was listed to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers for two years , serving around the UK , where he was the army 's top middle distance runner . This year the Labour member ( pictured meeting locals ) will have to defend his seat on Cinderford Town Council for the first time on May 7 . Lloyd Wilce was first elected in 1949 after serving in the army ( pictured left , in the army in 1947 ) for two years . Right , with his son Adrian in 1960 . Following his national service he got a job at Debenhams in Gloucester in 1949 and won his first seat on what was then called East Dean Parish Council . He joined in a bid to improve Cinderford 's sports facilities and one of his early political achievements was raising enough money to increase the size of the town 's swimming pool . ' I had been on a proper running track and we had nothing like that in Cinderford - there was no swimming pool or sports facilities . 'When I got demobbed and I had an interest in those things , and there was some councillor making moves and thinking we wanted to have those things , so I got involved . Mr Wilce celebrating his 50 years of service at the council with wife Mary and sons Nigel and Adrian in 1999 . ' I put on a carnival and got the funds to make the pool at the school into a bigger pool than planned and got the support of the council . ' Mr Wilce had two sons with wife Mary and after 17 years in the outfitting trade the pair took over the village hall in Steam Mills , Gloucestershire . They applied for a pub licence and ran it as the Old Engine Inn for around 25 years before he retired and Mary passed away four years ago , aged 77 . He has met Tony Blair and John Prescott during his tenure , as well as going to the Queen 's garden party twice and visiting the House of Commons and the Lords . His proudest achievement in his political career is raising £20,000 through bingo nights for a bronze statue of a miner in Cinderford , to remember the town 's history in 2000 . Mr Wilce and wife Mary pictured outside Buckingham Palace , where they attended a garden party in 2001 . Lloyd Wilce , wife Mary and children Adrian and Nigel , pictured outside their home in Cinderford , around 1960 . He has registered to stand for election on May 7 , but is yet to find out how many people will stand against him . ' I was n't going to stand but I had my arm twisted - people said I had been doing it so long I might as well keep going , ' he said . ' I 'm pretty sure with all these other parties like UKIP that there will be an election this year and I 'll probably go against someone else . ' I do n't know that I 'm very happy about UKIP to be honest . 'They promise an awful lot and from what I 've seen of Farage I 'm not sure their ideas are good ones . ' I would n't put myself forward if I did n't think I was going to get in , but I 'll have to wait and see I guess . ' Speaking of David Cameron 's announcement that he would leave after three terms as PM , Mr Wilce remained sceptical . 'He might change his mind , ' he said . The local authority has changed name three times since he was first elected and he has seen countless mayors and leaders . Pictured : Cinderford , Gloucestershire .
Lloyd Wilce , first elected in 1949 , ran unopposed for This year . more than 20 years , he will have to defend his seat on Cinderford Town Council . Victories include securing bigger swimming pool for Gloucestershire town . ' I was n't going to stand but I had my arm twisted , ' said the Labour member .