ELY City Cuncillr and frmer mayr Bryant Watsn, has quit less than a year after he was re-elected. Speculatin is grwing that his decisin cmes after he disagreed with the way the cuncil handled plans fr a new Lidl supermarket in the city. Cllr Wa

ELY City Cuncillr and frmer mayr Bryant Watsn, has quit less than a year after he was re-elected.

Speculatin is grwing that his decisin cmes after he disagreed with the way the cuncil handled plans fr a new Lidl supermarket in the city.

Cllr Watsn refused t discuss the reasn fr his resignatin,but said he had left n a "friendly basis".

His decisin came after he attended an Ely City Cuncil planning cmmittee meeting in which cuncillrs vted fur vtes t three in favur f Lidl's plan t build a new stre ppsite Tesc at Angel Drve.

It is understd that sme cuncillrs were nt happy with the decisin - as an earlier applicatin by Lidl had been refused - and called the decisin int full cuncil.

It is believed that Cllr Watsn felt that the planning cmmittee had made its decisin and it shuld be hnured.

Cllr Watsn has served n Ely City Cuncil fr the last six years and was elected t serve the East Ward in May last year n a fur year term.

He is als a gvernr at Ely's Spring Meadw Schl and chairman f the Ely in Blm cmmittee.

Cllr Watsn said: "I resigned a week ag but I am nt prepared t discuss the reasn.

"My psitin as schl gvernr is up fr renewal in May and it has yet t be ttally reslved whether the schl wants me t cntinue."

The city cuncil is als discussing whether it will becme invlved in Ely in Blm.

Ntices have already gne n display at the Ely City Cuncil ffices in Market Street advising the public f Cllr Watsn's resignatin.

Residents have until tmrrw (Friday) t decide whether an electin is necessary and it must be called if 10 r mre peple demand ne.

If nt, cuncillrs will be able t c-pt a new cuncillr and he r she will serve a fur-year term.

"If we g fr an electin it csts a lt f mney," said cuncil clerk Tracey Culsn, "It has never happened in the past; it has always been dealt with by c-ptin."

Ely mayr, Cllr Rn Bradney said: "I was extremely srry that Bryant decided t leave the city cuncil. His pinin was highly valued by all the cuncillrs wh wrked with him.

He tld the Ely Standard that he will cntinue t chair the Ely in Blm cmmittee, but that, added t his rle as a Justice f Peace he felt was a sufficient lad t carry at his stage f life.

"With regard t the Lidl planning applicatin, the city cuncil fllwed all the crrect standing rders and I culdn't pssibly cmment n Bryant's pint f view, added Cllr Bradney.