Tributes have been paid to a former teacher and mayor who has died at the age of 98.

Peter Morgan MBE was a massively popular figure in Sittingbourne and across Swale.

A prominent figure in the Liberal Party, he was born in Brynmawr, Wales, in 1926 - moving to his adopted hometown in 1948.

After serving in the RAF at the end of the Second World War, he started his teaching career in Milton.

He spent almost 30 years at Westlands School where he taught thousands of pupils during his time there.

“He had boundless energy and threw himself into public life, first in church life and local preaching,” daughter Jane Morgan said.

“In the 1960s he became the lone Liberal member of the Sittingbourne and Milton District Council.

“This was the beginning of his long devotion to public service as he’d thoroughly adopted Sittingbourne as his home.

“His ideas and initiatives were, often, far ahead of his time and he developed a ‘thick skin’ and persuasive skills in order to achieve these good and forward-thinking ideas.”

Peter also campaigned for years for council recognition of the Citizens’ Advice Bureau.

In 1987, he became the first Liberal Mayor of Swale and went on to become chairman of Kent County Council (KCC) in 1996.

Throughout his life, he served his community by founding and being a member of several organisations.

This included the chair of the Swale Footpaths Group, founder member of the Twinning Association between Sittingbourne and Ypres, chair of the Dolphin Barge Museum, founder of the Sittingbourne Heritage Museum, governor of schools in Sittingbourne and Queenborough, co-founder of the Sittingbourne Music Society, founder of Crossroads Care, founder and chairman of Home-Start, as well as chairman of Sittingbourne and District Volunteer Bureau.

In 2009 he was made an MBE for his service to the community.

Daughter Claire Yeo said: “He called us his three little princesses.

“He was a pretty progressive dad and quite hands-on. He was ahead of his time with so many things.

“It wasn’t really until we got a bit older that we realised we had to share him with the rest of Sittingbourne.

“He was very kind and supported us through our entire lives.

“The good and bad, he was always there if we needed him, along with my mum. He was a very special man.”

Peter died on Wednesday, July 31 surrounded by his loved ones.

He leaves behind three daughters, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

His wife of more than 60 years, June, passed away in 2012.

The pair first met at the local Co-op Choir and were married on March 29, 1951.

In February 2021, Peter was made Freeman of the Borough of Swale.

He was given the honour at a special meeting after being nominated by friend and former council leader Roger Truelove.

He said: “People voted for him as an individual and he wore his party label lightly, though always loyally.

“He considered local government to be a service, not a political platform and was quite censorious about drafted ward leaflets that strayed into political content.

“It was an indication of his popularity and influence that people frequently quoted Peter as their councillor from wards he didn’t represent.

“I knew him during my days as a Liberal and learnt what it meant to be a councillor from him.

“Although I became a Labour member in time, we stayed friends as ever and spent long periods discussing issues in his parlour.

“I don't suppose we will see another Peter Morgan.”

Current Mayor of Swale, Cllr Ben Martin, said: “Peter was a Sittingbourne, Swale and Liberal legend.

“Founder of Sittingbourne Liberals and the Faversham Liberals.

“The First Liberal Mayor of Swale, the first Liberal chair of KCC and involved in setting up countless community groups and organisations to support local people.

“It was my honour to second the nomination to make him a Freeman of the Borough and to receive his seal of approval of my parliamentary candidacy in 2019.

“He did so much and inspired so many.

“He was a true gentleman and a legend that we may never see the likes of again.”

His funeral is on Monday, September 2 at The Garden of England Crematorium in Bobbing at 3pm.