A clutch of high-profile women have left the council or are saying their farewells - and there's no denying the Town Hall is a gloomier place without them.

When Conservative councillor Anne Smith lost her seat in May's local elections, the Town Hall lost its answer to Joanna Lumley. Perfume bottles and lipsticks always nestled among the agenda papers in her poky office.

But still-serving Labour councillor Marjorie Barker is renowned for her colourful outfits - and once even wowed designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.

Marjorie, aged 73, said: "When I was Lord Mayor my first engagement was at Chatsworth House and I sat next to him during dinner.

"I was wearing my favourite suit - navy blue silk with the most stunning hat edged with green - and, by sheer chance, it was the same as the official council colours.

"I never realised it matched the ribbon on the chain of office around my neck but Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen thought I was so clever to have matched my outfit to the Mayoral chains."

Marjorie, who loves to dress in a rainbow of colours from canary yellow to ice blue, says people often tell her how lovely she looks.

"I was at the Town Hall dressed all in pink with pink shoes, and a little girl came up to me and said how much she loved them," she said.

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"I have loads of hats and I always wear them to church on a Sunday - it seems old-fashioned but that's me.

"Recently I wore a lilac and white spotted outfit with a navy straw hat with cream tulle trim and someone said I looked beautiful.

"I love colour and you should always make yourself look as nice as you possibly can."

Labour leader Jan Wilson certainly stands out when she wears her Converse baseball boots with a psychedelic pattern, but she admitted: "Some women do brighten up the council chamber but, apart from my boots, I tend to wear a plain black suit."

However Joanne Roney, the executive director of neighbourhoods, will leave a large footprint when she goes. She is moving on to become chief executive of Wakefield Council - and will be taking her shoe collection with her.

Joanne is known for her designer shoes, Tiffany jewellery from New York, and Chanel make-up bag - and jokes the city's booming economy has a lot to do with her lunchtime shopping trips.

"I hope members of the council's Cabinet have a serious think about how they are going to maintain the standard of designer clothes once I've left," she laughed.

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