Tributes paid to respected councillor

Cllr Dudley Rose, 70, an independent town councillor for Hailsham Upper Horsebridge ward, died of cancer at St Wilfrid's Hospice on Saturday.

Cllr Rose, an engineer by trade, had been a councillor in Hailsham since the town was a parish in the 1960s.

Cllr Rose was also a Hellingly parish councillor.

The newly elected Mayor of Hailsham, Cllr Ian Haffenden, told the Express that Mr Rose was 'Mr Hailsham.'

He said: 'He was a man of honour and integrity who was always enthusiastic about Hailsham.

'I will miss him.'

Tributes to Cllr Rose have flooded into the Express offices.

Fellow town councillor Geoff Rowe called him a 'first class man'.

He said: 'Dudley Rose was involved in so many things and a tireless worker in everything he took on.'

Cllr Robin Kempe thought Cllr Rose was 'marvellous' and a 'very rare person indeed'.

He said: 'He gave loyal support of absolutely anything going on in the town.

'He will be sadly missed by anybody and everybody who knew him.

'He was a super man and a hard working man.'

A solemn and respectful silence was held at the town council annual meeting on Monday.

Cllr Nigel Coltman prayed and outgoing mayor Cllr Nick Ellwood read a long list of cllr Rose's achievements.

Mr Rose was chairman of governors at Marshlands and White House primary schools.

He was a Labour parliamentary candidate in 2005.

He was also instrumental in setting up the twinning link between Hailsham and Gournay en Bray in France.

From his French home, Ren Galant, Gournay Twinning Association chairman, said: 'On behalf of his Gournay friends, we are all sad at the death of Dudley Rose, a man who has always been fair, kind and faithful.

'We all appreciated his courage, his generosity and his service to the community.

'Our two towns have lost one of their best servants.

'I am still shocked but realise the grandeur of the man who has left us, after struggling so hard against his terrible illness.'

Hailsham Twinning Association recently promoted Dudley Rose from chairman to president to honour him.

Hellingly parish chairman David White said cllr Rose's knowledge of local matters was 'immense'.

He said: 'Dudley never complained he just got on with it.

'Councillors of the calibre of Dudley are few and far between.'

The funeral will be held at 3.15pm at Eastbourne Crematorium on May 30.

Family flowers only but donations can be sent to St Wilfrid's Hospice c/o Thomas Rich on 01323 840049.