He said: “Margaret returned as a councilor in each of the 11 elections she contested; This is a testament to the dedication and hard work he undertakes on behalf of his constituents.

“His calming and professional presence will be missed at Stirling Council and I am both saddened by his passing and not having the opportunity to learn from him.”

Stirling Council Conservative group leader Neil Benny said Ms Brisley was a “force of nature”.

He said: “It’s hard to imagine a Stirling Council without him.

“Stirling represented a tradition of local politics that put its people first and transcended the narrow party politics we are used to these days.

“When we disagreed, the arguments were clear and decisive, but without malice or ill will, and the decisions we reached were better for discussion.”

The council’s SNP group leader, Scott Farmer, described Ms Brisley as a “fantastic politician”.

Mr Farmer added: “He was a colleague and a friend and his death is very sad.

“He has made a huge contribution to his local community and also to the wider Stirling electorate.”

Mrs. Brisley is survived by two children, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.