Tributes have been paid to a Cradley Heath politician and former leader of West Midlands County Council who died last week.

Gordon Morgan, a father-of-two, was described as a committed politician who could count Nye Bevan, Neil Kinnock and Michael Foot among his friends.

The married 90-year-old died peacefully at his Timbertree Crescent home on Thursday December 11. He leaves a wife, Olwyn, son David and daughter Anne.

David said his father had recently been unwell after suffering a fall.

Born in Tredegar, South Wales, he later moved to the West Midlands and served in the Royal Engineers during World War II, surviving the evacuation from Dunkirk. He was then posted to Burma.

David added: “As a result he went six years without seeing my mother.”

After the war Gordon served on the former Warley and Sandwell councils before being elected to the now defunct West Midlands County Council.

A senior training manager for Tube Investments in Oldbury, he became chairman of West Midlands Citizen Advice Bureau.

Sandwell council leader Bill Thomas said: “He was an enormously committed public servant who will be sadly missed.

“He was instrumental in major developments such as Oldbury Ring Road and Telford Way in Smethwick, which were County Council schemes.

“Gordon was heavily influenced by Nye Bevan and the socialist tradition of the Welsh Valleys.”

His funeral was held on Thursday December 18 at Rowley Regis Crematorium.