The Labour councillor said the "honourable" thing to do was stand downA senior councillor for Coventry City Council has resigned after reportedly breaching coronavirus quarantine rules.
Cllr John Mutton stepped down from his position as cabinet member for finance and resources this evening (October 6).
The Binley and Willenhall councillor is understood to have returned from a holiday in France on Saturday and failed to follow quarantine rules.
He reportedly left self-isolation to visit the hospital and Council House on Monday (October 6).
France is on the list of countries the government advises against visiting, but those who do must self-isolate for 14 days upon return.
Anyone in breach of the measure is liable for fines ranging from £1,000 to £3,200.
Cllr Mutton (Labour) was visited by West Midlands Police following the breach after he was reported by council Chief Executive Martin Reeves.
Announcing his resignation from cabinet in an email to council leader Cllr George Duggins, Cllr Mutton said he was “well aware” of the quarantine rules but understood pre-booked hospital appointments were an “exemption”.
He added: “I attended my hospital appointment and thought that it would be acceptable to call into the Council House to pick up some papers that I needed.
"During the five to ten minutes that I was in the Council House, I observed social distancing and wore a face mask at all times.
“Later that afternoon, I had a meeting, online, with the Chief Executive who informed me that I should not have entered the Council House and that he was going to report me to the police for breaching the quarantine rules.
"The police visited me at home and said that the quarantine rules around medical appointments were confusing and advised me that the only way to not fall foul of them was to now stay at home.
“However, not understanding the rules is not an excuse for falling foul of them, and unlike Dominic Cummings, I believe that if you break the rules then you have to accept the responsibility and the buck stops with me.
“I have enjoyed working with you for all of these years and working on behalf of the Labour group and the city of Coventry as a whole, but feel that the only honourable way forward for me now is to resign my position as cabinet member for finance and resources.”