A HAYDON Wick parish councillor resigned his elected post on Tuesday night and received a fond farewell from fellow members.

John Stooke’s resignation from the Haydon Wick Parish Council will take effect from May 3 to allow him to stand as an independent candidate for the St Andrew’s ward on May 4.

In a statement, Coun Stooke damned Swindon Borough Council’s decision to split Blunsdon St Andrew and displayed a sense of solidarity with the residents there.

He said: “What has gone on in Blunsdon St Andrew recently is, in my opinion, an important injustice. A perfectly good, dedicated and economically prudent local parish council was deliberately destroyed.

“All my local family live in St Andrews parish and have already had to withstand the additional effect of two lots of unnecessary back office expenses, the cost of this unnecessary election and the undermining of the council’s critical mass – and I think they deserve better.

“As someone passionately Independent of political parties, I am dedicated to giving St Andrews residents unstinting service and outstanding value for money.

“If I fail to get elected in St Andrews, which in the circumstances is quite possible, then I’m sure I can find some other local charitable cause to keep me awake at night.”

Fellow councillors wished Coun Stooke all the best for the future and thanked him for his service to the parish.