Former chair of Yorkshire Forward dies

Mr Hodgkinson was educated at Rainhall Road and Barnoldswick Secondary Modern schools and began his working career as a bonus surveyor at BB Kirks in Skipton.

He completed a national diploma in building in Leeds and gained a 2:1 honours degree in building at Aston University.

In 1973 Mr Hodgkinson founded Aston Builders and Contractors Ltd in Wakefield which ran up to 1979.

Later that year he launched his own company, Lemmeleg, with partner Trevor Cooper, and founded Magna Holdings in 1998.

He had an Honours Degree in Building from the University of Aston in Birmingham. He was a Chartered Director and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors IOD and an Ambassador and Fellow for the Chartered Institute of Building.

He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate at the University of Huddersfield, a CBE for services to business and regeneration and held the position of Deputy Lieutenant for West Yorkshire and a visiting Professor at Leeds Metropolitan University affiliated to the Faculty of Business and Law.

In 2010 he was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to business and regeneration.

He was chair of the former regional development agency Yorkshire Forward for seven years, until 2010, and was asked to extend his second three year-term of office by a year to help guide the region through the economic crisis which hit the nation in 2008.

Mr Hodgkinson is believed to have died on July 13. On Sunday, Leeds City Council chief executive Tom Riordan, who worked alongside Mr Hodgkinson at Yorkshire Forward tweeted: “So sorry to convey that Terry Hodgkinson CBE passed away unexpectedly. Deep, sincere condolences to his wife, Anne, daughters Kirstie and Charlotte, family and friends. Terry made a very big positive difference including as chair or Yorkshire Forward. He will be sadly missed by so very many.”

His widow, Anne, formerly Simpson, was brought up in Malham and her family still lives locally.