A highly-respected servant of the District who was a councillor for 56 years and was twice the mayor of Lancaster has died, aged 94.
Abbott Bryning served as a Lancaster councillor from 1967 to 2023, stepping down before the local elections three years ago.
A former Father of the Council, Mr Bryning was re-elected in 15 successive elections and was council leader in 2009.
He was a councillor for Bulk ward for 40 years and then for Skerton East for 16 years.
Mr Bryning was also twice the mayor of Lancaster, in 1980 and 1998, with his beloved wife Elsie as his mayoress.
When he stood down from Lancaster City Council in 2023 he was made an Honorary Alderman and also bestowed with the Honorary Freedom of the City.
To mark his 90th birthday in 2022, a Parliamentary motion thanked him for his service on the council, recognised his leadership roles in the city including his time as council leader and his two terms as mayor, and paid tribute to his work in 2015 leading a campaign to promote the rights and welfare of older citizens in partnership with Lancashire Welfare Rights Service - praising the campaign's success at ensuring over-75s were contacted and offered a free check of their benefit entitlements.
During his working life Mr Bryning was head of business studies at Lancaster and Morecambe College.
“Abbott was a bastion of local democracy and his loss will be felt across the political spectrum and the community as a whole," said Councillor Colin Hartley, mayor of Lancaster.
"I’m sure I speak on behalf of the whole council when I say he will be missed by all who knew him. My sincere condolences go to all of his friends and family.”
A minute’s silence will be held at the next meeting of full council at Morecambe Town Hall on September 23.
The City Flag will be flown at half mast at both town halls on the day of the funeral.
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