Former Norwich South MP Charles Clarke hailed Celia Cameron, who led the council from 1993 to 2001 and was also the authority's first Labour leader, as an "outstanding public servant".

Mrs Cameron moved to Norfolk with her husband, a University of East Anglia lecturer, during the late 1970s.

Celia Cameron (Image: Courtesy of Celia Cameron's family)

She ran the constituency office of Norwich South MP John Garrett and represented the now abolished St Stephens division in Norwich as county councillor from 1981 until 2005.

She took that seat - after a number of unsuccessful election attempts - when she beat the then Conservative leader Michael Chaplin.

She became leader of the opposition Labour group at the Conservative-controlled county council in 1990.

Celia Cameron (Image: Newsquest)

But three years later she became the county council's first woman leader and its first Labour leader after the 1993 election saw the authority under no overall control.

She stayed in power for eight years – with a coalition with the Liberal Democrats.

Her husband, Jock, said: "Celia grew up in Eltham in London, which is a fairly leafy part of the city, but it was after she left work at 18 and started working at Southwark Borough Council that she became a socialist.

"Her exposure to life in the Elephant and Castle area meant she realised life was much more unjust for some people and she joined the Labour party, which she remained in for her whole life.

"When she was at the county council, her theme was always that social justice needed to be worked upon and she was always concerned about how the worst off were treated."

She became a CBE for her services to Norfolk and local government in 1999.

After stepping down from County Hall in 2005, Mrs Cameron was chairman of Age UK Norwich from 2006 until 2010 and remained a member of the board until her death.

Former Norwich South MP Charles Clarke (Image: Archant Norfolk Photographic © 2011)

Former Norwich South Labour MP Charles Clarke said: "Celia Cameron was an outstanding public servant for Norfolk.

"She was future-looking and progressive and so did her very best to face up to the sometimes very tough challenges she faced, particularly as leader of the county council.

"She was always determined to achieve workable solutions which for her were more important than rhetorical flourishes.

"She equally participated actively at national level and to promote Norfolk’s interests.

"She will be greatly missed, notably by her many Labour friends".

Steve Morphew, leader of the Labour group at Norfolk County Council, said: "Few politicians really deserve to be called legends but Celia is truly one of them.

"Probably the most respected no nonsense politician of her generation in Norfolk, she combined humanity and empathy with a ferocious sense of purpose.

"Celia was warm and generous, forensic and challenging. The standards she set as Labour leader of Norfolk County Council we still aspire to."

Norwich South Labour MP Clive Lewis said: "The Labour movement has lost two big beasts this week.

"Celia Cameron may not have had the national name recognition of John Prescott, but she was every bit as brilliant in her own way, here locally.

"She will be missed by all of us in Norwich Labour Party and my thoughts are with her family."

Celia Cameron (centre) during a campaign to stop Norfolk library closures (Image: Newsquest)

Kay Mason Billig, leader of Norfolk County Council, said: "I was very sad to learn about the passing of Celia Cameron.

"She was leader of the council during my first two terms as a county councillor and I served under her leadership from 1993 to 2001.

"Celia was a formidable councillor and advocate for her community, she was an inspiration for leadership in local government and will be missed by many officers and members in the council."

Mrs Cameron, who lived in York Street, Norwich, died after a short and serious illness.

She leaves her daughter Emma, son-in-law Paul and grandchildren Chloe and Ewan.