Matt Parr, who represented Coldharbour ward in central Brixton on Lambeth council, has died at the age of 61.
He was first elected as a councillor for Coldharbour in 2010.
In a statement, Lambeth Labour Party said: “He worked tirelessly on behalf of his constituents – not stopping even after he was diagnosed with cancer – and he achieved a huge amount.”
Lambeth council leader Lib Peck and his ward colleagues, Labour councillors Donatus Anyanwu and Emma Nye, said: “Matt had a particular desire to improve the lives of the area’s poorest residents.
“He was instrumental in securing funding for the rebuilding of St John’s school in Angell Town.
“He also fought for investment in the area’s estates, which saw the transformation of council housing in the area, providing homes that are safe, warm and dry.
“His ‘Jobs for All’ scrutiny commission, approved by cabinet earlier this month, set out a series of ambitious actions the council will take to enable all residents – irrespective of background – to benefit from the growth that is happening in Lambeth.”
The councillors said that it was fitting that LJ Works on Loughborough Farm, a project that Matt Parr had worked so hard to bring to life, would open before the end of the year, offering jobs and training opportunities to local young people.
They said: “Matt was a modest man who was not interested in personal glory or self-promotion. He was happiest working quietly behind the scenes – bringing people together to sort out problems and get things done.
“He was a kind, thoughtful and decent man and he will be hugely missed as a colleague and as a friend.”
Matt Parr leaves his wife, Petrina, and two young children.
Tributes were also paid by local MP Helen Hayes, the Marcus Lipton Community Centre, the Reverend Canon Dr. Rosemarie Mallett of St John’s Angell Town and MP Marsha de Cordova , a former Lambeth councillor, among many others.
