A FORMER colleague of Councillor Willie Innes has paid tribute to the late council leader, who passed away last month.

Former Lib Dem councillor Jacquie Bell served alongside the Labour politician on East Lothian Council for five years.

Now secretary of Dunbar Community Council, Mrs Bell began the group’s latest meeting by offering some words in memory of Mr Innes, who died on October 24.

She said: “I sent a card to Willie’s family but what I would just like to say, having been a colleague of Willie’s from 2007 to 2012, he was ever the gentleman.

“He might be speaking against you in the council chamber and he was quite the one for a spot of fence play but outside the council chamber he respected you.He had a particular support for women councillors and thought there should be more of us.”

The community council meeting last Monday began with a moment’s silence in memory of the long-standing Labour councillor, who represented the Preston Seton Gosford ward.Mrs Bell described Mr Innes as someone who “believed in his community, spoke for his community”.

The community council meeting was held the day before East Lothian Council met to select a successor to Mr Innes. Dunbar and East Linton ward member Councillor Norman Hampshire, who was in attendance at the virtual community council meeting, took on the role and will be supported by Labour colleague Shamin Akhtar, who represents the Haddington and Lammermuir ward.