Tributes have been paid to the longstanding former leader of Leicestershire County Council.
The authority announced the death of Nick Rushton, who spent 28 years as a councillor, including 12 years in charge, on Wednesday.
Rushton, who was 70, had stepped down as councillor in 2024 to undergo treatment for cancer.
Current council leader Dan Harrison has ordered flags outside County Hall to be flown at half-mast and said Rushton “had a unique ability to prioritise the common good”.
First elected to the county council in 1989, Rushton served as deputy leader for nine years and held a number of other cabinet positions.
He was also chairman of the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Combined Fire Authority and served as vice-chairman of the County Councils Network.
Harrison said: “Nick was an outstanding leader of this council.
“He had a unique ability to prioritise the common good and his first duty was always to the residents of Leicestershire.
“Nick was a true statesman. His political nous knew no bounds and neither did his sense of humour.
“He steered the council through tough times, including difficult decisions during austerity, and also saw the council shine on the global stage, with the reinterment of Richard III.”
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