VAL Smith’s contribution to Oxfordshire County Council was remembered yesterday as it met to elect its new chairman and vice-chairman.

Mrs Smith was elected vice-chairman last year and was expected to become chairman for 2015/16 until she stepped down due to her illness last September.

Her job was taken over by Labour councillor for Cowley John Sanders, who was elected to the position of chairman yesterday.

He replaced Liberal Democrat Anne Purse who served in the role for the past year.

The chairman of the county council is a ceremonial role and involves chairing meetings of the council as representing it at events.

Mr Sanders, who works as an IT consultant and project manager, said: “Anne has been an excellent chairman. But it should have been Val sitting here today.

“I reluctantly accepted this election having known I could never be as good a chairman as Val would have been. But I asked myself, ‘what Val would have done?’ Val, I do it for you.”

County council leader Ian Hudspeth said: “Today is a very poignant day for all of us because we all expected to see Val in the chair. She would have made a great chairman.

“She had an ability to cross the political divide. It was something special about her.”

Outgoing chairman Ms Purse also paid tribute to Mrs Smith, who died on Friday after a long battle with cancer. She said: “Val never got to sit in the chairman’s chair which is so sad, because she would have made a wonderful chairman.

“Right up until the last time she sat here as vice-chairman there was this great feeling of warmth.

“She was truly a wonderful person.”

Conservative councillor for Bicester Town, Michael Waine, was elected vice-chairman for the coming year.

Mrs Smith’s funeral is at the Church of the Holy Family, Blackbird Leys, on Tuesday at 11.15am.

Donations to Action on Bladder Cancer c/o The Cooperative Funeralcare, 71 Balfour Road, Oxford OX4 6AG