'Dedicated' ex-Oxfordshire County Council deputy leader dies

Mr Rose, who represented Charlbury and Wychwood division at the county council from 1997 to 2017, passed away at the weekend.

The former Conservative councillor served as deputy leader until he lost his seat in the election last year, and served as chairman of the joint delivery board for the western section of the East West rail project in Oxford.

County council leader Ian Hudspeth said: "I will miss him greatly as a friend and colleague. On behalf of everyone at Oxfordshire County Council who knew and worked with him, I send his family our deepest condolences.

"I worked closely with Rodney for many years. He was a tireless and dedicated local councillor representing Charlbury and Wychwood.

"As a long-serving member of the cabinet, he had wide-ranging responsibilities for council services.

"He was a tireless champion of Oxfordshire’s fire and rescue service.

"He represented the county council on several major projects that will benefit Oxfordshire, including the east-west rail scheme and the planned flood alleviation scheme around west Oxford.

"These will be his legacy as a public servant."

Mr Rose lost his seat at the council to Liberal Democrat Liz Leffmann in the May election.