TRIBUTES have been paid to a “loyal and committed” parish council chairman who has died, aged 86.

George Elmer spent more than three decades in politics, serving as a Tendring councillor and parish councillor for Ramsey and his home village of Parkeston.

The former Parkeston railway worker was a councillor since 1983 when he became a member of a housing and planning sub-committee at Tendring Council.

Over the past 35 years, he has taken on the role of vice-chairman of Tendring Council and has spearheaded many campaigns in Ramsey and Parkeston.

He became Ramsey and Parkeston Parish Council chairman in 2006.

Rob Passmore, the council’s vice-chairman, said: “Ramsey and Parkeston Parish Council are devastated by the sudden loss of their long serving chairman. George he will be missed by so many.

“He did so many things for his community over the years.

“He ran the Scouts group from the Methodist church, in Garland Road, back in the Seventies. He loved music and in his youth played in a band, playing the electric organ.

“He was an avid footballer and apparently a wizard with a pool cue.

His passion was Parkeston cemetery and with his son gave many hours voluntary labour and was devoted as a trustee of the Henry Smiths Charity, keeping on top of the changes in both villages of widows to benefit from the annual grant, he used to love to deliver them himself, after a time Lin Keating our clerk would chauffeur George around.

“George loved his garden, greenhouses and fishing.

“As our chairman, he could more than hold his own and would love to throw something out there whilst chuckling silently at the ongoing debate.

“He was small in stature, but big in character.”

Council clerk Lin Keating said: “He was honourable, honest, caring, sweet, stubborn and a funny so and so who I had many debates and giggles with - I shall miss immensely.”

Fellow councillor Ivan Henderson, who served with Mr Elmer, said: “I was elected in 1995 and he was there, he was a Labour councillor for Ramsey and Parkeston.

“But I’ve known George for years - he was on the railway and we were in the same union.

“He was a first-class local councillor, everything he did, Parkeston was at the heart of it.

“He was just a really nice guy. You can see how committed he was because right to the end he was working for the parish and residents. He was truly committed and loyal.”

Mr Elmer represented Ramsey and Parkeston on Tendring Council from 1983 to 2007.

He was vice-chairman of the council in 1998 and Vice-Chairman of the Development and Planning Committee 1995-1997 and 1998.

Ian Davidson, chief executive of Tendring Council, described Mr Elmer as an “exemplar councillor”.

He said: “George steadfastly represented the residents of Ramsey and Parkeston.

“I recently met George to discuss topics affecting Ramsey and Parkeston, when we discussed some of the key issues we were working on together to resolve.

“I always admired his tenacity for tackling the issues his community faced.

“George was an exemplar councillor will be missed by all who knew him.”