TRIBUTES have been paid to a long-standing councillor who has passed away.

Sheila Cook had been an elected representative at both parish and district level for more than 30 years, before stepping down at this year’s elections in May.

Aside from a gap between 2011 and 2014, then-councillor Cook served Teignbridge District Council since 1995.

She oversaw Kingskerswell Parish Council during the mid-90s as Chairman, carrying on as parish councillor until 2020.

‘Kingskerswell Parish Council was saddened to learn of the passing of Sheila Cook’ a spokesman said.

‘Sheila was a Parish Councillor for around 36 years.

‘The parish council would like to express their condolences to Sheila’s family’, the spokesman added.

With her husband, Phil, by her side, Sheila moved to Kingskerswell from Richmond-upon-Thames in the early days of the 1980s, having grown up in Devon.

‘I have known Sheila since 2001, I met Phil, her husband, we worked together on the general election at the time and then on subsequent elections’ said Cllr Alistair Dewhirst.

‘Sheila in her youth was a very keen tennis player, playing at Junior Wimbledon.

‘Sheila was a very strong personality until the end.

‘I don’t think she was the easiest person in the care home.

‘She loved her home, she loved cooking and food.

‘She did not stand fools lightly.

‘And she definitely said it like it was!’ Cllr Dewhirst added.

‘Sheila was a great Lib Dem Councillor, standing up for her local community for many years’ said leader of Teignbridge District Council, Cllr Martin Wrigley.