TRIBUTES have been paid to popular Moredon ward councillor and community stalwart Jenny Millin, who died this week.

Coun Millin, first elected for Labour in a by-election in Novem-ber 2010, was the group’s lead member of health and adult social care, and a council-appointed executive director for SEQOL, Swindon’s social enterprise for health and social care.

Other councillors and community leaders have said she was a strong community supporter with a passion for helping the most vulnerable in society.

Labour group leader, Coun Jim Grant, said: “It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of councillor Jenny Millin. Our thoughts are with her family at this very sad time.

“Since she came on to the council back in November 2010, Jenny had been a breath of fresh air, working hard for the people she represented in Moredon and speaking passionately about matters affecting the most vulnerable people in our town.

“In the space of a year, her hard work was rewarded through having her surname used as a name for a recently-built pathway which local residents requested, and I appointed her as Labour’s lead for health and social care.

“I can say with confidence that Coun Millin will be greatly missed by her councillor colleagues and even more by her constituents, who I know valued the hard work she put in to make the Moredon area a better place.”

According to the Labour website, Coun Millin, who lived in Gorse Hill, moved to Swindon in 2000 when she took up the post of technical officer at Kennet District Council.

Coun Millin, who had also worked as a veterinary nurse, stood as a councillor after retiring.

During the election campaign, she said: “I was born into a working class family, and my father went down the pit in South Wales at 14 years old. I’ve been active in the Labour movement throughout my life and have campaigned particularly hard on health, disability and youth services.”

Coun Ray Ballman, the mayor of Swindon, said: “I am very sorry to hear that Coun Millin has passed away. I would like to pass on my condolences on behalf of the council to Coun Millin’s husband, Ken, and family.”

Coun Derique Montaut (Lab, Central), who represented Moredon for many years, said: “Jenny was a very lovely, caring individual. She was passionate about her beliefs and she wanted to transform society.

“Although she had some mobility problems over the period, she worked extremely hard as a Moredon councillor and she earned respect in the short period she was a member.

“It was an area I previously represented and the feedback on it is there’s a lot of people who are sad as a result of hearing this particular news. She will certainly be missed.”

Terry Hunt, chairman of Rodbourne Cheney Residents’ Association, said Coun Millin came to the group’s meetings and was very helpful.

He said: “She had always been a stalwart in the area and she had always been amiable and approachable. As a politician she had always done what she was supposed to have done.”