FORMER Mayor of Wellington and Taunton Deane Cllr Bob Bowrah died on Saturday at the age of 74 at Linden House Nursing Home in the town following a battle against cancer.

Town councillors paid their respects with a minute’s silence in his memory at their monthly meeting on Monday evening and the same night the lights at Wellington Monument were turned on in tribute.

Speaking after the meeting current mayor Cllr Gary James said Mr Bowrah had served the town conscientiously over many years.

He said: “We were all so saddened by the news of Bob’s passing and our thoughts and sympathies go out to his widow Liz and their family.

“Bob was a loyal servant to Wellington for many, many years. He loved the town and always put the best interests of residents first.

“He served at the highest levels as Mayor of Wellington and also as Mayor of Taunton Deane, representing the town with pride and dignity.

“He was passionate about local causes and in particular he championed the restoration of Wellington Monument and the plans for a new railway station, and he ensured the Basins area was looked after and managed properly.

“As we say in the Forces, he was ‘a good egg’. I know that all of our councillors will miss his helpfulness and the insight his lengthy experience brought to local issues.”

Mr Bowrah had been a town councillor since 1999 and a Taunton Deane councillor since 2003, representing Wellington West and Rockwell Green.

He was chairman of the town council from 2004-06, Mayor of Wellington in 2016-17 and Mayor of Taunton Deane in 2009-10.

He was on Wellington Town Council emergency planning committee and was chairman of Taunton Deane planning committee.

Mr Bowrah was a member of the Tenants Services Management Board, representing council house tenants, and Metro Champion and Wellington Monument Champion for Wellington.

He was Taunton Deane’s representative on the board of directors of Taunton Bowling Club, a member of the Basins Volunteer Group and treasurer of the local Sea Angling Club.

He served in the Army for 27 years, two years in the reserve forces at Bishop’s Hull, and was awarded the British Empire Medal in 1980. He was Armed Forces Member Champion for Taunton Deane.

Mr Bowrah was married to Elizabeth for 50 years, and had three adult children, Joanne, Nick and Andrew, and four grandchildren.

He was a keen fisherman and gardener, and had an allotment.

A funeral service for Mr Bowrah will be held on Friday, April 12, at 10am at Taunton Crematorium.