A long-standing former councillor who helped a Chessington primary school move out of special measures in 2000 has died suddenly at the age of 83.

John Heamon was elected to Kingston Council in 1994 and represented Cambridge ward in New Malden before standing down in 2002.

He moved to Kingston with his wife Leonora in 1967 to work as a teacher trainer at what was then Gypsy Hill College, before it merged with Kingston Polytechnic.

During his time on the council Mr Heamon specialised in education issues, and chaired the education and leisure committee in 1994-5, and was a governor at numerous schools in the borough.

His wife said he was particularly proud of his work as chair of governors at Moor Lane school, which saw the school leave special measures after its damning Ofsted report.

Councillor Derek Osbourne, leader of Kingston Council, said: “He was someone who showed enourmous commitment to the young people of the borough and was respected across parties for his wisdom, and on a personal level he was unremittingly polite and considerate in everything he did.”

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