A “talented” councillor died on Friday after a period of ill-health.

John de Mierre represented Haywards Heath East for the Conservatives.

He is the third member of West Sussex County Council to die since the May elections.

County Council Leader Louise Goldsmith described John as “a lovely man and a talented politician, with a good sense of humour, keen wit and intellect”.

Mr de Mierre first held the West Sussex County Council seat in May 2005 and was vice-chairman of the Health Scrutiny Select Committee and cabinet member for Strategic Planning.

He took on the cabinet member role for Adults’ Services from April 2008 but lost his seat in the 2009 elections.

He was re-elected in May 2013, and as Select Committee chairman described the proposed Rampion offshore wind farm as one of the biggest planning applications Sussex had seen for many years.

Ill health forced him to stand down from the chairmanship last month.

John de Mierre was director of a marketing and communications company and was interested in sustainable economic development and also health and social welfare services.

He was also a member of Mid Sussex District Council and a governor of Harlands Primary School and specialist education Beechfield and Chalkhill.

He had two sons and three grandchildren.