An Ely councillor issued a “set the record straight” statement after a barrage of social media reports questioned her move from the city.

Councillor Coralie Green faced some criticism over the weekend but said reports of her moving to Cornwall to live were wide of the mark.

“I do not live in Cornwall, I live in London,” said the councillor for Ely South.

“We are building a second home in Cornwall, it is not finished and we have not moved in.

“When it is finished it will remain a second home, London will remain our primary residence.”

She said that she and her husband moved to London in March last year although they weren’t able to sell their Ely home until August.

“I commute up to Ely and continue to represent Ely South, attending meetings, working with officers and responding to residents’ issues,” she said.

“I took legal advice as to whether I could (as I wished to) continue as a councillor when no longer living in the district and was advised that I could”.

She added: “I will not be standing again at the elections in May. I hope this clarifies the position for you.”

The issue arose after numerous social media comments in the wake of the decision by East Cambridgeshire District Council to halt the Government’s inspection of the council’s emerging local plan.

Councillor Anna Bailey, the council’s deputy leader, said: “Coralie is the lead member for the local plan. She has now moved to London - she did not want to trigger an expensive by-election and is still very much involved and will be at full council on Thursday.”

Cllr Green is not the only local councillor to have moved from the city –Councillor Andy Pearson is thought to be living in Spain having sold his pub The Drayman’s.

However he issued a statement at the time of his departure last year saying he would continue in his role, unpaid, until May to avoid the cost of a by-election. His Ely North seat disappears this year when the council numbers change from 39 to 28 seats.

Another councillor, Donald Adey, who represents Trumpington on Cambridgeshire County Council and Cambridge City Council moved to Fife in Scotland last year but has refused all calls to resign.

However he did announce this week he would be giving up his city council seat but still retaining his county seat – and will continue to receive his £10,000 a year allowance.

Local democracy reporter Josh Thomas went to Scotland to find and interview him.