Councillors from across the political spectrum have united to pay tribute to a community stalwart and former teacher.

Angela Loughran, who was Mayor in 2013/14, served on Stafford Borough Council for 29 years, representing the town's Manor Ward, until she died in April aged 82.

Last week a by-election took place in Manor Ward, which was won by fellow Labour member Aaron Thurstance. Councillor Thurstance was welcomed to his first meeting on Tuesday (July 21) by Borough Mayor Mark Winnington – and several elected members shared their memories of his Manor predecessor.

Council leader Aidan Godfrey, who served alongside Mrs Loughran for many years, led tributes at Tuesday's full council meeting to his friend. He said: "It's been quite a few weeks since she left us, but I still expect to see her at council meetings.

"I really miss the one to one chats where we put the world to rights. I miss her at group meetings, and I'm sure my Labour colleagues feel the same – she was our chair and she would keep us in order and make sure the leader didn't speak for too long.

"She helped many people with their problems and concerns, chaired committees and worked the scrutiny system brilliantly. She represented the Manor Ward, where she lived, worked as a teacher and raised her family – she really was a round peg in a round hole and a perfect councillor for the ward.

"She was very respected in the area and within the outside bodies in which she worked and organisations like Bereavement and Loss, which was very close to her heart. I highly valued Angela's wise counsel and the effortless way she would put a point across – she knew how local government worked and how to use that knowledge to get the best possible for her constituents and the borough as a whole.

"Her husband John sadly passed away a few weeks after her. Many of us attended their joint funeral. John, although not a member of the council, was a good friend and he will be missed."

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Conservative group leader Councillor Jeremy Pert said: "I served with Angela for 16 years. Angela was dedicated, widely respected and long-serving – she was an old-school councillor of which there aren't any of those coming along.

"Some may have seen Angela as feisty and fearsome. But she was happy to speak her mind and her input was always well meant and useful in terms of challenging some of the norms."

Councillor Jill Hood from the Stafford Borough Independents said: "It is a privilege – although a very sad one – to pay tribute to Angela. She was a remarkable woman who devoted her life to serving others, and before entering local politics she spent many years as a teacher at Rising Brook.

"The measure of the impact she had on young people can be seen in the countless tributes shared after her death. Hundreds of former pupils spoke of her online, remembering her as a strict teacher but also as a fair, caring and inspiring one."

Green Party member Councillor Tony Pearce said: "Angela was a councillor that I always admired. If I had to choose three words they would be courageous, compassionate and articulate.

"She was courageous because she would always speak her mind – she didn't care who it was and didn't care if it would cause offence, although she was always respectful.

"She was always determined to make her view clear and I guess that's where being articulate comes in, and she was compassionate because she always cared deeply for the people she represented."