Long-standing former Bournemouth councillor, Basil Ratcliffe, has died at the age of 89.

Basil's main period of office as a Conservative councillor was between 1991 and 2011, representing the East Southbourne and Tuckton ward.

Before that Basil, a Bournemouth and Poole Technical College science lecturer, married with four children, was one of two Independents to stand in the Bournemouth District Council elections for the Southbourne ward in 1973. He was then secretary of the college branch of the teachers union, a member of the board of governors and vice chairman of the local residents' association.

In 1976 he was elected as a Tory councillor on Bournemouth Borough Council for the Southbourne ward. Two years later he won an industrial tribunal against Dorset County Council for 'time off' from the college under the Employment Protection Act to carry out public duties. The following year he was re-elected to the council representing Southbourne.

Basil was then off the council for a while until he was re-elected in 1991. During the 1990s he was concerned with the lack of a bus service for the new Bournemouth Hospital on Castle Lane and urged Yellow Buses to expand their routes to enable patients to get to the hospital easier. He was involved in a long campaign to provide a new landing area for Wick ferry and was instrumental in getting old lamps in Southbourne replaced with new lighting.

In 1994 he led a campaign against the closure of Tuckton's Cranleigh Road surgery, collecting a 2,000 strong petition. He also opposed to parking charges at the Riverlands car park in Tuckton's Wick Lane.

As a member of the South West and South Central Trains Forum he protested against the scrapping of Gatwick Airport rail link with Bournemouth.

During his time on Bournemouth Council he served on numerous committees including the transport and works committee (of which he was chairman between 1999 and 2002), the planning committee, education committee and personnel committee. He was also the cabinet member for the environment between 2002 and 2003.

Basil was also on the Boscombe artificial reef working group which raised serious concerns about its construction and safety.

He retired from the council in 2011 and in September of that year was admitted by the council 'to the Roll of Honorary Aldermen of the Borough of Bournemouth in recognition of his eminent service to the Council and the Town'.

Basil passed away on December 12 and a celebration of his life will be held on December 28 at Bournemouth Crematorium at 2.30pm. No flowers requested. Donations for Macmillan Caring Locally to be sent to Head and Wheble funeral directors.