Councillor for 13 days: Medway Tory resigns

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Councillor for 13 days: Medway Tory resigns

By Helen Duffett | Wed 25th August 2010 - 6:43 pm

Conservative councillor David Craggs has resigned today, less than a fortnight after winning the by-election in River Ward, Medway.

Kent News reports:

The Gad’s Hill headteacher stood down from his position earlier today.

Yourmedway approached Mr Craggs for a comment and was told that a full statement detailing the reasons behind his resignation would be released later this afternoon.

However, we are led to believe that Mr Craggs was told he must choose between serving as a special constable, a position he has held for 17 years, and a Medway councillor.

Conservative Craggs gained the seat from Labour in the by-election on 12 August. Another by-election will be held within 35 days.

Read more by Helen Duffett or more about medway council.
This entry was posted in Council by-elections.

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5 Comments

Iain Roberts 25th Aug '10 - 6:50pm

A Preston Lib Dem councillor also resigned shortly after being elected in May.
LKD 25th Aug '10 - 8:13pm

Guess that is the downside of the “no political affiliation” policing rule 🙁
dom 25th Aug '10 - 11:07pm

David davies MP, (not that one) is a special constable, why does he have no trouble?
Jock 26th Aug '10 - 12:57am

“Volunteer” storm-troopers do worry me 🙂
Walter West 26th Aug '10 - 8:55am

In reply to Dom (11:07 PM, 25th August), I think it is because local authorities, via Police Authorities, have a degree of indirect control over policing in the local area and there might be a conflict of interest for anyone being a Special Constable and a Councillor.

With an MP that isn’t the case. They set ‘generic’ policies rather than locally specific ones.

That having been said I don’t see why this wasn’t flagged up before the election. Surely someone in Medway’s legal services department, or their equivalents at Kent Police or the Kent Police Authority (or the agent) should have spotted this?