Tributes have been paid to a former district councillor who has died.

Marian Munt, 86, was a Labour member in Dover over 14 years for the Maxton, Elms Vale and Priory area and a member of the council’s cabinet and shadow cabinet.

Keith Sansum, who was a fellow Labour councillor for the area, said: “We lost a good councillor in Marian, she represented her ward well.

“We would complement each other’s work and Marian was a real researcher, spending hours making sure that items of interest to local people were full researched and answers given.

“She was very active on the planning committee, always at site meetings and always gave full reports back to anybody she represented.

“She wouldn’t let an opportunity be missed to speak about the ward at planning or full council meetings.”

Cllr Sue Chandler, chairman of Dover District Council said: “We are very sad to hear of the death of former Cllr Munt.

“She served the district for over a decade, and was passionate about representing her community, and was recognised locally as a kind and compassionate lady.

“She was also a strong advocate for the environment and green issues. Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this difficult time.”

Jean Marian Munt, a widow with two children, lived in Priory Road, Dover.

She was became a district councillor in a by-election on July 31, 1997, and represented the Priory ward until May 2003.

From May 2003 to May 2011 she represented the enlarged Maxton, Elms Vale and Priory ward.

Mrs Munt was cabinet portfolio holder for the environment from 2002 to 2003, shadow portfolio holder for the environment from 2003 to 2007 and shadow portfolio holder for environment, waste and planning from 2007 to 2010.

She also served on a number of committees such as scrutiny.
She was an adviser on the Priory Forum, a community group that was set up by the early 1990s, to look into the needs of the then Priory ward, a place with high levels of deprivation.
She was also an advisor to the Folkestone Road Residents’ Association and would regularly take up residents’ cases.
Mrs Munt died of natural causes last Saturday and the funeral takes place at Barham Crematorium on Tuesday, November 1, at 1.20pm.