Colleagues have paid tribute to former Highland councillor Roddy Balfour who has died.
His death was announced by Highland Council convener Bill Lobban at the start of Thursday’s full council meeting.
Mr Balfour, a former solicitor who was in his 80s, was first elected in 1999 and served five consecutive terms as an indenpendent councillor.
After 23 years service to the community he decided not to stand in the 2022 election.
‘The world is a poorer place with his passing’
Mr Lobban said: “Roddy left the council at the last election after many years of stalwart service.
“He had one of the brightest minds of anyone I had the pleasure to meet and was a fierce and determined debater.
“He was also one of the nicest and most genuine people you could ever have met.
“The world is a much poorer place with his passing.”
Councillor Alasdair Christie, the leader of the opposition on the council, said Mr Balfour, who was the council’s Armed Forces champion, was a pleasure to know.
He said: “Roddy was a Highland gentleman. With his razor sharp mind, he could argue the case either way for anything with logic and always with compassion and dignity.
“The work he did for Highland Council on Armed Forces and Armed Services was exceptional. It was down to him that we got as far as we did with the Armed Forces Covenant.
“He had a very successful legal career and I saw some of that separately in my role as chief executive of Citizens Advice.
“Roddy was on the Citizens Advice Board for 14 years and became a director in his own right.
“He took a keen interest in welfare rights, consumer issues and legal issues and added value to the charity immensely throughout that period.”
‘We will miss him deeply’
He added: “Roddy was one of those people that was a pleasure to meet in your life. You don’t meet too many people like Roddy Balfour.
“I think that we will all miss him deeply and our condolences to all his friends and family.
Born in Tasmania, Australia, Mr Balfour returned to his mother’s birthplace, and made the Highlands his home.
He served the Ardersier, Croy and Petty Ward during the 1999 and 2003 election terms.
Mr Balfour was then elected in 2007, 2012 and 2017 to Culloden and Ardersier.
He was a member of many council committees and boards and was chairman of education, culture and sport in 2003.
Highland councillor Roddy Balfour.Provost of Inverness and area, Glynis Campbell Sinclair said Mr Balfour was “one of a kind”.
“He was passionate about the Gaelic language and was a very accomplished bagpiper.
“Roddy had a quick wit, and a wicked sense of humour – he really did love to laugh.
“He will be sorely missed by his family and friends, Highland council staff and councillors and of course, the communities of Culloden and Ardersier.”
She added: “He regularly demonstrated a wealth of knowledge on the Inverness Common Good Fund. His counsel is sorely missed on this and many other matters.”
In 2021, Mr Balfour was invited to a reception at Edinburgh Castle to receive the council’s Gold award for the Defence Employers’ Recognition Scheme.
Conversation