Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western stands down as Warwickshire county councillor

Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western has resigned from his role as a Warwickshire County Councillor.
Matt WesternMatt Western
Matt Western

Mr Western, who represented the Leamington Willes ward, was first elected as a county councillor in May 2013 and since then has made many significant contributions to the area.

In May 2017 he was re-elected County Councillor, shortly before standing as Labour’s candidate in the 2017 General Election and becoming the Member of Parliament for Warwick and Leamington.

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"Mr Western said: “I am proud to have served my local community of Leamington Willes – the area in which I live - since 2013 as a county councillor.

"These last five years have been immensely challenging given the scale of cuts but also rewarding.

"Through the work in the division, in committees and in the council chamber I have tried to build consensus with members of all parties to create a better Warwickshire and, above all, a better Willes area in South Leamington. I am particularly proud that I attended all but one Council meeting in this past 10 months, despite my dual responsibilities.

"I have been able to combine my two roles as MP and County Councillor to speak out about local issues in Parliament including on children’s centres, cuts to local authorities, housing as well as health and social care provision.

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"I also did not take any allowances or expenses in this past year of the new council.”

Mr Western said he has has not claimed any county council allowances (salary) or expenses since June 9 2017 and has balanced his Parliamentary duties with serving the constituents of Willes.

Since then, Mr Western has continued to work hard in his Councillor role and is staunchly opposed to Warwickshire County Council cutting 2/3 of Warwickshire’s children’s centres.

Among his many successes in this period, he has worked with St Anthony’s Primary School to ensure new secure fencing was erected around the school, ensured that Stagecoach provided route 67 buses to compensate for the loss of the U1 route through Sydenham and ensured that additional routes were added for gritting ahead of this winter’s severe weather.

Mr Western's resignation has triggered a by-election in the Willes Ward which will be held on Thursday May 3, if contested.