Members of Maidstone council held a minute's silence at the start of their meeting last Wednesday in order to remember Cllr Wendy Hinder, who passed away suddenly on Saturday, February 15.

Cllr Hinder had been a Conservative member since 2004 and was Deputy Mayor of Maidstone at the time of her passing.

Afterwards, councillors from all parties paid tribute to her. Cllr John Perry (Con) described her as "one of our most dedicated, experienced and hard-working councillors."

Cllr Paul Harper (Lab) spoke of her "immense enthusiasm" while Cllr Fay Gooch (Ind) said: "She was just a lovely lady."

Eddie Powell (Ind Maidstone) said she had lived for her family and her council work.

But a great many tributes were also paid to her husband Bob Hinder, also a councillor, who was present at the meeting despite his recent loss.

Council leader Martin Cox (Lib Dem) told him that his wife would have wanted hm to carry on, and said that Bob and Wendy together "had made the best double act this council's ever had."

In response, Cllr Hinder described meeting his wife when she was 15 and he was16 and said that he fell in love with her right away - that was in 1957.

Thanking his colleagues for their "touching remarks," he said: "I was immensely proud of my wife and always will be."

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