TRIBUTES have been paid to a parish councillor who died at the age of 67.

Gordon Winter, of Felders Mede, Hook, had been a member of the village’s parish council since 2009.

He died suddenly on Tuesday, June 16 and his funeral took place at Basingstoke Crematorium on Monday.

Councillor Iain Chalmers, chairman of the parish council, said that Cllr Winter was an “exemplary representative for his community” who would be “missed and remembered” by all those on the parish council.

He added: “As a colleague on the council, he was quick to offer support and guidance, yet he was also characterised by a strong ethical sense of what was right.

“He was not afraid to stand his ground, and he was all the more respected for it.

“Gordon was far more than a councillor ‘in name only’.

"He committed large amounts of his time and energy in support of our community, and was always one of the first to volunteer for additional duties.

“Perhaps more importantly, during the past four years, when there have been a number of major projects going on in the village, Gordon was a constant point of support and advice for the council staff – in this regard, he will not easily be replaced.”

Tributes were also paid to Cllr Winter at the July meeting of Hook Parish Council, which took place last Wednesday.

Cllr Winter joined the council with the aims of improving village facilities, reducing vandalism and to ensure that council projects are beneficial to the local economy.

He became vice-chairman of the parish council a year after being elected in 2009, and was particularly vocal about matters affecting the Holt Park estate to the east of the village centre.