Cross-party tributes have been paid to Coventry's well-known former Socialist councillor Rob Windsor following his untimely death, aged 47.
They demonstrated the respect the former St Michael’s councillor earned throughout years of passionate and compassionate campaigning for justice for thousands of people - and helping them individually in his work as a city charity housing adviser.
He died peacefully on Saturday following a liver transplant and six weeks of characteristically battling at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth hospital.
Fellow Socialist Dave Nellist led the tributes as Tory and Labour Coventry councillors including Kevin Foster paid their respects to a “decent” man, while others like Labour’s Ram Lakha recalled his prominent role in Coventry’s fight against Margaret Thatcher’s “poll tax”.
In Coventry, Mr Windsor set about advising hundreds of people summoned before the city’s magistrates for non-payment of the “poll tax”, called the Community Charge - which had the principle of charging the same rates for everyone, regardless of income.
He helped many more in his work as an officer for homeless charity Coventry Cyrenians.
He was first elected to Coventry City Council in May 2000 for four years, and again in May 2006 for a second term.
He fought against the shortage of affordable housing, private finance initiatives for hospitals and parking charges at Walsgrave hospital, the trebling of student fees, the closure of city post offices, and he helped galvanize opposition to Israel’s attack on Gaza.
Mr Windsor’s last public appearance was to march with striking public sector workers against pension cuts on November 30 last year.
His close friend a Cyrenians colleague Alan Thomas, for whom Mr Windsor had been best man at his recent wedding, paid tribute on social networking site Facebook, saying: “At the end of the day... you’re one of not many people on this planet who can pass away saying in all honesty that they made not one, not hundreds, but thousands of people’s lives better.
“You won’t believe what a proud group of friends and family you’ve left behind. Much love and we’ll miss you like we’ve all lost a brother.”
Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced. Those wishing to attend are asked in the interim to contact Coun Nellist on 024 7622 9311.
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2012 4:33 pm