Two Nuneaton councillors quit Conservative Party to become independents

[dutchman]

'We feel that can do more in the community as independents'



Two councillors have quit the Conservative Party and will sit as independents at Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council.

Husband and wife duo Andy and Jayne Sargeant have resigned the Tory whip, meaning they will now be independent councillors at the Town Hall.

The duo's decision comes at a time when the opposing Conservative group is reliant on votes as the council is a hung council.

But Andy Sargeant explained that their decision, which also means he will sit as an independent at Shire Hall where he is a Warwickshire County councillor, has been made with the best interests of their residents at heart.

He is an Attleborough ward councillor at both the borough and county council, while his wife is an Arbury ward representative at the Town Hall.

Cllr Andy Sargeant explained it was a decision he and his wife had been contemplating for several months.

"I just really thought, and Jayne did as well, that we would be better placed not to have the party politics, I really wanted to be a councillor as I wanted to help the community and get things done," he said.

"I think Jayne does too, that you are quite affected as councillors sometimes the party politics slows you down - now we can get on with our work in the community."

They were both former officers for the Conservative Party association: "We both remain Conservatives at heart and remain Conservatives but we feel that can do more in the community as independents," said Cllr Sargeant, who founded the Attleborough Matters group.

With Labour having 17 seats and the Conservatives now having 14 and one Green Party councillor, as indepdents the Sargeants' vote in the Town Hall could really count.

Andy said: "I couldn't say how we are going to vote, we are going to be opened-minded, see how things go.

"There has been no fall out as far as I am concerned, we are not part of the Conservative Party anymore but we are still Conservatives at heart, this gives us a bit more freedom, we can put on our own motions."