A BENCH has been unveiled as a lasting reminder of an Oxford councillor’s long service to the city.

Stan Taylor was a councillor for 10 years over two stints and was also a leader of the authority.

The 68-year-old died from cancer in May last year.

A seat has been installed in Cowley Marsh Park for the Labour stalwart and last night Elise Benjamin, the Sheriff of Oxford, paid tribute to Mr Taylor.

She said: “Stan was an honest, decent councillor and a lifelong resident of East Oxford.

“He was very much embedded in the community and was very passionate about local issues even when he wasn’t on the council, so it something for the people of the community to remember him by.”

He served two stints on the city council, serving as a Labour councillor between 1991 and 1999 and from 2002 to 2004. He also represented Temple Cowley as a county councillor in the 1980s.

Ms Benjamin said Mr Taylor served three wards during his time in local government – Iffley, Temple Cowley and Cowley Marsh – and was leader of the council from 1996 to 1998.

One of his proudest achievements was setting up the Certificate of Honour, presented to community volunteers. He also led a successful campaign to get a bus shelter built outside the Donnington Clinic off Iffley Road.

Mary Clarkson, Lord Mayor of Oxford, was joined by councillors, Oxford East MP Andrew Smith, and Mr Taylor’s brother Russell, 74, in a ceremony at the park, earlier this month.

He also worked for Oxfordshire County Council and was a personnel officer at South Oxfordshire District Council before retiring in 1990.