Cuncillr quits after less than year in ffice
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.
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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.
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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.
