THE death has been announced of Basildon councillor Imelda Clancy.

Cllr Clancy, former Deputy Leader of the Independent Group, had been a serving councillor since 2014 when she represented Pitsea North-West, and had represented the residents of Langdon Hills since 2018.

Cllr Clancy, who passed aaway under the care of St Luke's Hospice after a battle with cancer, is the mother of Cllr Kerry Smith deputy leader of Basildon Council, who said: "I would like to thank the fantastic staff at St. Luke's Hospice for their care and devotion to enabling Imelda to pass away with dignity and no pain."

A statement from Basildon Council said: "Our deepest of sympathies go to Cllr Clancy's family at this time, and we thank her unreservedly for her long-standing service to the council and the residents of our borough."

Council leader Gavin Callahan paid his own tribute, saying: "I am deeply saddened today at the passing of Councillor Imelda Clancy. Imelda has been a councillor in Basildon since 2014 and for four years was my fellow ward councillor in Pitsea North West before being elected to serve the people of Langdon Hills. She served her residents with her characteristic charm and good nature.

"Imelda was a shining example of what really makes a council.

"Not every elected member will be a Group Leader, a Mayor or a committee chair. Different elected members make different contributions in different sorts of ways. She wasn't always in the local paper and she rarely spoke in council meetings.

"But you always knew she was there and you always knew Imelda had an opinion. Imelda was one of the biggest characters in the chamber. She was forthright in telling you what she thought of a policy and tireless in making requests for improvements and budget commitments on behalf of her constituents.

"Over recent years I have got to know Imelda and her family history. She would often regale me with stories of her family's Irish heritage which was very similar to my own. Whenever you were in her company, she would always first ask you about how your family was, remembering them by name before telling me to thank my lucky stars I landed on my feet!

"When you are councillors, it often doesn't matter about your politics. It is why I work across the aisle with different people with different political opinions. In local government, you're inspired to stand, not because of national political opinions, but because you want the place you live to be better. Whilst Imelda and I disagreed on many national political issues, locally we were both in agreement on one thing; Basildon has had a raw deal and the people and businesses here deserve better,

"Her car park chats were legendary. Often at the end of a council meeting, as she stood, ploughing through a packet of cigarettes, she would put the world to rights, give me advice on how to care for my dog and express her views on what had happened at the meeting with her flamboyant use of the English language! She was warm, funny and thoroughly decent.