Broxtowe Council pays tribute to late councillor
Broxtowe councillors have paid tribute to their ‘very caring and very passionate’ colleague who died last week.
Ross Bofinger, who died on August 22, represented Stapleford South East, was remembered as a ‘wonderful man’.
Coun Bofinger was elected to the authority in the 2023 full council election and also sat on Stapleford Council – but being a councillor was not his only legacy.
He had a long career as a teacher, shaping the lives of ‘countless’ young people, and fellow Broxtowe councillor Sue Paterson (Brox All) told the local democracy reporting service (LDRS) on that he had been due to retire as a teacher this summer.
Cloun Paterson, also a Stapleford councillor, said: “He was an absolutely wonderful man.
"Everywhere he went he touched the hearts of people.
"He was quite funny and clumsy and he’d got the biggest selection of ties from anybody I’ve ever met.
“He volunteered at several different organisations.
"He was also a member of the baptist church where he ran the youth club for many many years.
“He was just a principled, good guy and he wasn’t afraid to stand up for what he believed either – I’ll miss him terribly.
“We are councillors together but you’re also friends.”
Coun Milan Radulovic (Brox All), told the LDRS: “He was a great person of integrity, deeply committed and passionate about his beliefs, particularly about human rights and freedoms.
“He was very caring and very passionate, totally committed and dedicated – it’s a great sadness to us all.
“One of the things in particular he was committed to was the Stapleford New Towns Deal and the Steven Gerrard Academy – he was immensely proud of that and what we were able to achieve there.
“He was one of these people that quietly worked in the background, yet you rely on their help and support because of the meticulous attention to detail and commitment to improve the standard of living for people, particularly Stapleford – that’s what I remember about him.
“He isn’t just a colleague, he’s a friend.
"He’s more than that, someone with a deep personal attachment to.”
A Broxtowe Council spokesperson said: “Ross was a key figure in our local community, serving not only as a councillor for the last few years but also during his long career as a teacher, a role in which he shaped the lives of countless young people.
“Perhaps most importantly, Ross was an incredibly kind and compassionate person who genuinely cared about people.
"He will be sorely missed and our thoughts are with his family.”