Died: 6 July, 2008, in Lockerbie, aged 58.
MAYBE it was the Kirkcaldy High School motto, usque conabor (I shall strive to the utmost), or maybe just something in the water there, that propelled its alumni in to high public office
of one degree or another. Ian Fraser Smith was brought up in Fife, his father was a police sergeant; Ian was educated at Kirkcaldy High School where in 1966 and 1967 he was a high school prefect alongside Gordon Brown, now Prime Minister. Ian qualified as a solicitor at Dundee University and started his career in the county clerk's department of Fife County Council before moving to Alloa in May 1977 when he was appointed depute chief executive, then in 1985, chief executive of Clackmannan District Council.
Ian moved to Dumfries and Galloway in December 1992 following appointment to the post of chief executive of Dumfries and Galloway Regional Council. As a member of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (Solace) Ian chaired a working group on internal management which commissioned the "New Management Agenda" report on the lead-up to local government reorganisation in Scotland. In 1995, Ian was appointed chief executive of the new unitary authority, Dumfries and Galloway Council, and held this post until his retirement in 1998.
From February 1996 until October 1997, Ian held the position of chairman of the Scottish Branch of Solace. He was also a key member of the Scottish Parliament Financial Issues Advisory Group, which was established to give advice on how the new Scottish Parliament would operate.
Ian often described as "a personal passion" the council's efforts to create a university in Dumfries. This quest began in the days of the regional council when he was convinced of the importance of the project which would help stem the drain of young talent from the area. Ian successfully developed solutions to the complex problems over the purchasing and development of the old Crichton Royal Hospital. Now, the Crichton University Campus: the University of Glasgow; the University of the West of Scotland; Dumfries and Galloway College; and the Scottish Agricultural College are a collaboration, unique in the United Kingdom, which will result in 8,500 students by the end of 2008.
Following his retirement from local government, Ian took up the post of Commissioner for Local Administration in Scotland, a position he held from July 2000 until October 2002. He was a board member of the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration and was a local government adjudicator for Scotland. While serving as a board member of West of Scotland Water, Ian was appointed as the first convenor of Scottish Water Customer Consultation Panels, now known as Water Watch, which was set up to represent the views of the water authority's customers, this appointment was strongly supported by the then environment minister, Ross Finnie. He was also the first ombudsman for Surveying in Scotland, a pilot project which is now UK-wide; he served as a court member of Caledonian University; and was a member of the appointments committee of the General Dental Council.
Ian was always very enthusiastic about public service; he believed in being visible, direct and approachable. He listened to what people had to say and was always prepared to believe that people wanted to make a contribution. He was not often disappointed by people or by his trust in them.
Among Ian's many interests were his enjoyment of modern painting and sculpture, and watching rugby; in his playing days Ian was a second row forward on the rugby field.
Ian Smith is survived by his wife, Pat, their son Robin, daughter Sarah and his mother, Betty.
The full article contains 618 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
