A PROMINENT political figure who dedicated her life to serving Stourport has died aged 101.

Former Mayor of Stourport Elizabeth Mills was awarded an MBE for her services to the local community after spending 23 years on Wyre Forest District Council and 12 years on Worcestershire County Council.

She died on Wednesday, January 1 at Ravenhurst Residential Care Home in Stourport where she had lived since 2007.

The leading lady in Wyre Forest’s civic history worked tirelessly for a number of Wyre Forest organisations including Stourport Rotary Club and the Worcestershire Girl Guiding movement.

She was the first honorary alderman of Wyre Forest and the first Life President of Wyre Forest Conservative Association.

David Armstrong, manager at Ravenhurst, said: “We consider ourselves very lucky to have had seven wonderful years with Elizabeth, who was much loved by fellow residents and the team here at Ravenhurst.

"She was such a prominent and distinguished figure in our local community and we were honoured to have her as part of our family at the care home. Our thoughts are with her loved ones at this sad time, she will be greatly missed.”

The retired bank clerk represented Lickhill ward at the district council from 1974 until 1997 as a Conservative.

She spent the preceding 12 years representing the same ward on Worcestershire County Council before its reorganisation.

Mrs Mills chaired the district council from 1979 to 1980 and served as Mayor of Stourport from 1982 to 1983 and again from 1992 to 1993.

She was also a governor at Lickhill Middle and Stourport High schools and had the Elizabeth Mills Centre renamed after her in 2010 for her work as president.

Mayor of Stourport Ken Henderson said: "I didn't have the pleasure of working with her but I have met her and knew her quite well. She was an inspirational character.

"To achieve a fraction of what she achieved, I think anyone in local politics would be proud of that."

Leader of Wyre Forest District Council John Campion said: "I pay homage to her decades of local government service. Mrs Mills was a tour de force representing her beloved Stourport and the wider Wyre Forest."

Mrs Mills was born in Derbyshire and grew up in Rugeley before moving to Stourport with her late husband, Leslie, in 1956.

She had one son Stephen and three grandsons Andrew, Stuart and Peter.