Robin Currie, the former leader of Argyll and Bute Council, has died suddenly.
Cllr Currie served his home island of Islay, and Argyll and Bute more widely, for almost 40 years as a councillor with the current authority and its predecessor Argyll and Bute District Council before that.
He held different roles during that time, contributing to policy and service delivery that supported life in Argyll and Bute in areas as vital as housing, Gaelic language and economic development.
The Liberal Democrat was leader of the council until last month, when he became depute leader after an SNP-led coalition took power.
Council leader Jim Lynch said: “I am shocked and extremely saddened by Robin’s passing. It feels almost impossible to imagine the council without him.
“He was devoted to Islay, and his huge wealth of local government experience served Argyll and Bute well in so many different ways.
“He was an inspiration in standing up for the interests of the area, of our islands and of different aspects of life that make Argyll and Bute the place he loved and believed in.
“He wanted the best for Argyll and Bute, and worked tirelessly to achieve that. Whatever challenges he took on in the interest of our communities, he could always be relied on to bring welcome humour to situations.
“For many reasons, Argyll and Bute owes Councillor Robin Currie heartfelt thanks.
“Robin – we thank you, for everything, and we’ll miss you.”
Chief executive Pippa Milne said: “So much of Robin’s work was about raising Argyll and Bute’s interests at national level, but his focus always remained firmly on delivering benefit for our local communities.
“He cared about people and he cared about the council’s role in making life better for everyone. He will be greatly missed.”
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