Tributes paid to country's first Green councillor

Tributes have been paid to a councillor described as "the ultimate community activist" after his death at the age of 86.

The first Green Party councillor and mayor to be elected in the UK, John Marjoram, who lived in Stroud, Gloucestershire, died on Saturday after a long illness.

He served in town and district levels of politics for 36 years before stepping down from active politics in 2021.

Adrian Oldman, coordinator of Stroud District Green Party, said: "He was tenacious, passionate, and always supported the underdog."

Describing him as a "man of principle", Mr Oldman said Mr Marjoram always had time for others and had "a real commitment to help those who were in trouble".

"John represented Stroud with integrity, dedication and a genuine desire to promote the well-being of people.

"He was inspirational; the ultimate community activist, using the local political process to help people and improve our community.

"Our hearts go out to his wife, Laura, and his family," he added.

An environmentalist, quaker and pacifist, Mr Marjoram co-founded Stroud District Green Party in 1985 before being elected to the Trinity ward seat on Stroud District Council the following year.

A member of the district council's planning committee, Mr Marjoram has been described as pivotal in preventing some of the town's landmarks from demolition, such as former cloth factory, Hill Paul and Woodchester Mansion.

As well as serving as a district councillor, Mr Marjoram was later elected to Stroud Town Council when it was formed in 1990, before becoming the UK's first Green Party mayor.

Serving as mayor for 10 civic years and deputy mayor for seven, he introduced the idea of the "Mayor's Bench", a particular bench in the town centre where he would sit every Friday so residents could talk to him.

He also played active roles in campaigns such as opposing cuts to public services, the campaign against the Gulf War and to remain in the EU.

Locally, he was a founding member of the Stroud Campaign Against the Ring Road in the 1970s and helped a campaign to buy Lansdown Hall for the community.

He also called for the first-past-the-post voting system to be changed to proportional representation.

In 2023, Mr Marjoram received the title of Stroud Town's first Honorary Freeman in recognition of his services to the community.

Molly Scott-Cato, former Green MEP and a colleague of Mr Marjoram while working at Stroud District Council, said: "He was an absolute visionary green icon, obviously here in Stroud, but also an inspiration to generations of green politicians across the country."

Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.