Tributes have been paid to veteran Herefordshire councillor Bob Matthews, who died last week aged 87.

From a farming family in the west of the county, Bob Matthews did national service in Malaysia before serving for many years as a policeman in Hereford.

He sat on the former South Herefordshire district council, then became a founder member of the unitary Herefordshire Council in 1998, where from 2019 he led the True Independents group.

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“We didn’t always agree, but he was a first-class local councillor who gave it 100 per cent,” leader of the Liberal Democrats group on the council and former council leader Coun Terry James said.

The two were colleagues during a period of LibDem/Independent control of the county earlier this century.

“Bob lobbied hard to upgrade the Roman Road (to the north of Hereford) which at the time was no more than a country lane,” Coun James said, adding that Coun Matthews was also “a staunch supporter” of the SAS, based in his Credenhill ward.

Leader of the Independents for Herefordshire group in the council Coun Liz Harvey, a former colleague of Mr Matthews’, said he was “a larger-than-life character whose championing of independence in local politics has been instrumental in Herefordshire becoming known as a leader in the national movement”.

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One of the new intake of Conservative county councillors last May, Coun Dan Hurcomb said: “Coun Matthews was one of the first to welcome me to the council with his trademark sense of humour and wry smile.”

Erstwhile local Conservative MP Jesse Norman said: “No one who knew local politics in Herefordshire could miss him.

“Bob was clever, wise, passionate, highly engaged and very effective in making the case for his constituents. His death is a great loss to the county.”

Councillor Bob MatthewsCouncillor Bob Matthews (Image: Herefordshire Council)

His North Herefordshire colleague Sir Bill Wiggin added: “Bob had the reputation for being a formidable opponent, but I always found him friendly, polite and a pleasure to talk to.”

Green group leader Coun Ellie Chowns said: “He had a mischievous sense of humour and always had a twinkle in his eye and a rose in his buttonhole.

“The council won’t be the same without him.”

The date for the byelection to choose his successor in Credenhill ward is expected to be announced shortly.