At the town council meeting on Monday evening, tributes were paid to a long-standing councillor who has stood down.

Cllr Anthea Dewhurst was elected to the town council in 1999 and was elected as the town mayor in 2004.

For many years from 2005 she was chair of the Community Affairs Committee. During this time, she was Lead Councillor heading up a small team who organised the annual Christmas Candlelight Parade, managing to do so on a very small budget.

Mayor of Monmouth Terry Christopher said: “Cllr Dewhurst is someone of integrity and principles, and her conduct as a member not only in meetings , but also outside of meetings of the council was exemplary, I believe that it is a great shame that some members did not take a leaf out of Cllr Dewhurst’s book and followed her example.

“Anthea was never influenced by any single individual or any group of individuals, she always voted for what she thought was best for the town” he added.