A FORMER head of the old Airedale Community Health Council (CHC) has died aged 70.

John Godward, who also served as Lord Mayor of Bradford, was chief officer of the CHC watchdog body for 23 years until taking early retirement in 2003.

He was a district councillor for 35 years and when he began his mayoral year in 2009, was the authority’s longest-serving elected member.

The Union flag flying over City Hall in Bradford was lowered to half-mast on Monday as a mark of respect.

The leader of Bradford Council and its Labour group, Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, paid tribute to her former colleague.

She said: “I am hugely saddened to hear of the death of John Godward.

“He was a great councillor for many years serving the Great Horton ward and personally, he was very kind to me when I was a new councillor.”

Mr Godward served as Labour councillor for Great Horton until his retirement last year, and had also sat on the West Yorkshire Fire Authority.

His mayoral year saw him raise money for two good causes, Bradford and District Senior Power and the Little Heroes Cancer Trust.