FORMER Isle of Wight Council leader Morris Barton has died. He was 75.

Cllr Barton had a long career of public service as a councillor, being first elected in the late 1960s.
He was first elected as a Labour councillor and later joined the LibDems and served as a Newport Borough, IW and town councillor for many years.

He led the county council and its successor authority, the IW Council, between 1984-98. His longevity as a council leader set a record in UK politics.

It was Cllr Barton who piloted the county council's amalgamation with South Wight and Medina borough councils to create the Island's unitary authority.
He was honoured with an OBE in the New Year's Honours list in 1995 in recognition of his public service.
Cllr Barton also worked in the production department of the County Press for 40 years.
He remained an East Cowes town councillor and was a business consultant before in recent times suffering from increasing ill health.
Cllr Barton died at home in East Cowes on Friday night with his family at his bedside.