News that Boston Borough Councillor Myles Larrington has won a job at Westminster as a case worker for John Redwood - a former Tory minister and leadership contender - was coupled with the announcement that the other Conservative borough councillors will be taking on enquiries or concerns from residents of his Pilgrim Ward.
Councillor Larrington will continue to attend council meetings in Boston "as required" but has declined to accept any future remuneration or related expenses.
We have to say that letting council colleagues take on some of his work struck us as a mite unusual, as did the fact that he would apparently be an absentee councillor, so we asked him why he was not resigning the seat to allow a by-election and the appointment of a dedicated councillor for the voters of Pilgrim Ward?
Councillor Larrington told us: "Firstly, it is not wholly correct to state that I will be passing over the day to day handling of ward affairs. As I am sure you are aware, given modern technology, I shall be able to remain very much in-touch with what is going on in Pilgrim Ward – and I certainly aim to answer the majority of enquiries myself.
"Secondly, I shall endeavour (at the very least) to return to Boston at weekends to address any important issues raised by any of my constituents – as well as visiting my ward. I already work closely with our existing Borough and County councillors – so enquires are usually passed around political groups to the person with the most knowledge depending on the complexity of the enquiry itself. My current position will not fundamentally alter this process.
"I can assure you that I will not be an absentee councillor – my new employer has made it clear he is willing to be flexible around key or important meetings of the council, so I shall continue to attend as and when required. Can I also kindly point out that if you visit the House of Commons website and take a look through the Register of Interests of Members’ Secretaries and Research Assistants you will find it is usually acceptable for someone working in an MP's office, to hold a position as a councillor outside of London.
"It is a fair point you make regarding the issue of a by-election. I understand the arguments for having someone who lives in Boston all week and I certainly do not wish to stand in the way if there are other people who wish to come forward and serve the town. That said, I can assure you that before coming to the decision to stay on I widely consulted many people, as I feel I have a duty to do the right thing for my ward residents. I can genuinely say the feeling amongst both people I talked to in Pilgrim Ward and all political groups on the council were unanimous in saying they felt Boston would lose the positive contribution I have brought should I resign immediately.
"In addition, I am also mindful of the cost this would impose on the taxpayers of Boston, especially at a time when the next Borough Council Elections are not far away and also given the dire financial state in which the council finds itself currently.
"That said, I will be mindful of the views of the public on this. Clearly, I have a duty to take into account how they feel about my current arrangements and I will respond accordingly to that. I do not wish to be unfair to my electorate in anyway, nor do I want to let down people who have put their faith in me.
"I can’t really say anything more yet until the public view becomes more clear. I will however, try to continue to act faithfully to my electorate in future."
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