Conservative councillor and candidate in this year’s election Toby Eckersley has died.

Mr Eckersley was standing for election in in the London Bridge and West Bermondsey ward.

Southwark Council today announced his death in a statement.

The election will no longer go ahead as planned in London Bridge and West Bermondsey tomorrow, with a new election to be held within 35 days, according to Southwark Council’s statement.

Tributes to Mr Eckersley, who had recently been attending hustings in the borough last week, were flowing on Twitter, including from Southwark Labour leader Peter John.

He said: “Truly sorry to hear about the death of Toby Eckersley OBE. We shared a hustings platform last week. He was a committed Tory but also a champion for those who lacked a voice in our borough – and a courteous gentleman. I will miss his contributions to our civic life.”

Southwark Council chief executive Eleanor Kelly described Mr Eckersley as a “kind and charming man.”

She said: “I was saddened to hear that Toby Eckersley, former Southwark councillor and cabinet member, has passed away at the age of 76. We will all remember Toby as a kind and charming man – the quintessential Englishman who served his local constituents with commitment and drive.

“In his three decades as a local councillor, Toby served the council in various roles including Executive Member for Finance, and Chair of the Audit and Governance Committee, and even after standing down as a councillor in 2014 he continued to get involved in local politics and support local people. Toby will be sorely missed in Southwark and our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family at this sad time.”

Southwark Council said they would announce the new election date “in due course.”

The planned election in all other wards in Southwark will go ahead on May 3.