TRIBUTES have been paid to a passionate and energetic community campaigner who proved a tireless adversary to misconceived ideas.

Hove campaigner Bob Potter was a determined and vocal resident who cared deeply about his surrounding neighbourhood.

A regular contributor to Argus articles and our letters page, Mr Potter was at the forefront of campaigns to improve Seven Dials and a strong critic of council proposals he disagreed with.

He sadly passed away on Saturday following a heart attack at the age of 83.

Among Mr Potter’s campaigns over the years, he was one of the first to highlight issues with the revamp of the Seven Dials roundabout pointing out safety concerns and cracks appearing within months of the completion of the £1 million project.

Brighton and Hove City Council have since installed safety bollards to prevent lorries driving on the roundabout and contractors have replaced broken paving slabs.

Mr Potter was also part of a determined community effort to save a 150-year-old elm tree at Seven Dials which was due to be chopped down as part of the roundabout project two years ago.

He also led a campaign against new parking restrictions proposed for the Goldsmid ward in the city in 2000.

Valerie Paynter of SaveHove said: “We are a network of civic activists and Bob kept saveHOVE involved and informed concerning issues in the Seven Dials area.

“It was from him I learned about the crumbling of the new roundabout and I steered him as to who to lobby, including The Argus.

“He took his retirement years seriously as a time to make a community contribution.”

Green councillor Tom Druitt said that Mr Potter was a “great supporter” in the campaign to save the Seven Dials elm.

He said: “The city has lost a great campaigner.

“He was the sort of man who could make councillors tremble at his name, he was able to pick out flaws in their plans.

“At council meetings there are a handful of committed local democrats who have read all the papers and they are quick to point out when things aren’t right and Bob was one of those residents.

“He was a great supporter and it’s really sad that he has passed.”