TRIBUTES have poured in for a former mayor of Hove who has died.

Ed Cruickshank-Robb passed away on August 8 in his 80s.

He served as mayor from 1986 to 1987.

He had chaired Hove Conservatives for 11 years before joining Labour in 1998.

Mr Cruickshank-Robb was also passionate about supporting stroke victims. He founded the Stroke Care Trust in 1999, a charity which raises money to provide resources to stroke care groups in the city.

His friends and colleagues fondly remember Mr Cruickshank-Robb.

West Sussex County Councillor David Barling, from the Conservative party, said: “Ed was a delightful man and one of my dearest friends. I am deeply saddened to learn of his passing.

“He was a huge personality and made a major contribution to the life of Hove during his ten years on the council.

“My heart goes out to Sheila and his daughters.

“I first met him about 1975. We served on Hove council from 1976 onwards.

“My first impression of Ed was he was very intelligent. We became friends immediately.

“Our families often met up until he moved to Plymouth. We were really close friends.

“We were so close, if people couldn’t find Ed they would call me to ask where he was. Ed moved to Plymouth, and I served in West Sussex County Council in 2013.”

Adam Trimingham, who worked as a reporter for The Argus in the 1980s, when Mr Cruickshank-Robb was in office, said: “He was a very sharp, intelligent man.

“In council meetings, he was a breath of fresh air.”

Describing his brushes with Cruickshank-Robb during his time with the paper, Trimingham said: “He was very fair and very straightforward.

“If he didn’t like something that your wrote, then he would let you know, but he was willing to listen to both sides of an argument.

“He was the founder of the Stroke Care Trust. Looking back, he was well ahead of the game because there wasn’t much conversation about stroke.

“He was very passionate about helping stroke victims.

“Mr Cruickshank-Robb said stroke is nearly as common as cancer.

“He had always said it was a forgotten disability and victims should enjoy the quality of life.

“He was very good at getting things done.”

Outside of politics, Mr Trimingham recounted that Cruickshank-Robb was a keen music fan.

He said: “He and his wife always went to performances of classical music, it was clearly something they were passionate about.”