A former Mayor of New Romney has died.

Cllr Alan Snoad, who had been Mayor three times between 2008 to 2011, passed away yesterday morning after a period of illness.

Tributes have been led by the town council which released a statement on its website informing residents of the news.

A statement from the town council said: “It is with great sadness that New Romney Town Council must inform the town’s residents of the death of Cllr Dr Alan Snoad.

“Cllr Snoad had been a leading light on the town council for many years and a justly respected member of the community, having been Speaker of the Cinque Ports and three times Mayor of New Romney.

“He was totally committed to the town council and to the community in which he lived, working tirelessly through the council to the benefit of the town’s residents.

“He will be deeply missed by colleagues and staff of New Romney Town Council.’’

Cllr Snoad had continually fought hard alongside other colleagues on issues affecting the parish.

In February last year he condemned as “criminal’’ Kent County Council plans to cap children’s bus passes.

He and other councillors feared that Marsh children would be among the hardest hit because of the long distances they have to travel to school in the remote area.

He said at the time: “Parents should not be made to pay to get their children to school. It is criminal. KCC are hurting people who cannot sustain it. Those without a car in a rural area are going to be pushed further down.”

In 2013 he joined colleagues in resisting KCC plans to close down New Romney Children’s Centre.

At a council meeting that September he pointed out that 600 homes were planned for the town in the next few years, leading to even more youngsters in the area needing a children’s centre. The New Romney centre was eventually spared the axe.

During 2010 Cllr Snoad worked with colleagues to set up CCTV in the town.

Alan Snoad was a retired engineer at the Dungeness nuclear power complex and on the board of the Southlands Trustees, which run the town's almshouses.

He was also a keen local historian.

He had a wife, Rosemary, and children and grandchildren.