Former Royal Borough mayor resigns as a councillor

The resignation of a former mayor of the Royal Borough as a councillor has been made official.

Returning officer, David Scott, has received a written letter of resignation from former RBWM councillor for Riverside ward, Andrew Jenner.

Cllr Geoff Hill (Con, Oldfield), constituency chairman, said: “He resigned to me, as constituent chair, last week on Thursday or Friday, and he has resigned to the returning officer, David Scott, by email."

For the resignation to be official, Mr Jenner, RBWM mayor from between 2013 and 2014, had to send a handwritten letter to the returning officer. This was received today (Tuesday).

Having been in Australia since October for business and family matters, Cllr Jenner agreed to resign as a councillor if he failed to return to the borough by January 31.

Cllr Hill said: "I did have a conversation before he left along the lines of ‘if you do go to Australia and are away for six months, people might say you cannot be a councillor from Australia.’

"If he couldn’t get back by January 31 he would have to tender his resignation.

"He has kept his word and is in the process of resigning."

Riverside councillor and Royal Borough deputy leader Cllr Simon Dudley said today he has petitioned the returning officer for a by-election in the ward.