My father, Norman Howard, who has died aged 95, was a councillor for the Labour party from the mid-1960s onwards, and for a number of years from 1973 was chair of the Greater London council’s planning committee.
In that position he played a key role in decisions such as granting permission for Concorde to fly into Heathrow and on the redevelopment of Covent Garden. He also dug the first turf for the start of the London Docklands development at St Katharine Docks, and was particularly proud of signing an agreement with London Transport to carry out a 1973 election pledge allowing free bus travel for London’s pensioners.
