Council stalwart dies of cancer

From the archive, first published Wednesday 20th Apr 2005.

Tributes from across the political divide have been paid to Oxfordshire county councillor Sylvia Tompkins, who has died after a short battle against cancer.

Born and educated in Oxford, the veteran Headington Labour councillor, a mother-of-three, had been a fixture at County Hall since 1981.

Yesterday the county council's policy-making executive observed a minute's silence in her honour.

Labour opposition leader Liz Brighouse led the tributes and was close to tears when she said: "She was one of those people who had an incisive mind and was someone who had massive hidden depths. She cared deeply about young people, believed passionately about local government and without fear or failure worked to make people's lives better. She is going to be sadly missed."

Tory county council leader Keith Mitchell added: "I know we will miss her."

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