Councillor resigns

A MEMBER of South Oxfordshire District Council has quit over its choice of new leader.

Richard Pullen said his values “didn’t coincide” with that of Councillor Jane Murphy, who beat fellow Conservative Will Hall in a leadership vote last week.

He said: “I said beforehand that if she was elected I would resign. I can’t go into detail, I’m afraid, it’s simply my values and hers do not align.”

Cllr Pullen, who lives in Shillingford, has represented Benson and Crowmarsh since his election in 2015.

He said he couldn’t continue as an independent, explaining: “The problem is I’m involved in the management of the Conservative party in South Oxfordshire.

“I joined the district council really to have an involvement in the planning issues because of the amount of development that’s going on with South Oxfordshire it’s really important that the developments in design terms are good.”

There is likely to be a by-election for the seat.

The council will publish a notice of the vacancy and if a request to fill the seat is made by two electors registered within the district an election will be held.