Conservative councillor still refusing to resign despite living in America

A Conservative councillor in Suffolk who refused to resign after moving to America has made his required half yearly visit to England to attend a council meeting so he can keep his seat and just one person turned up to his councillor surgery.

Cllr Brian Riley was ejected from the Conservative group for refusing to resign when he moved abroad but still clings on to his seat and the £10k a year allowance that goes with it. Despite just one person coming to the councillor surgery he held on his return, he still claims to be "good value" for what residents get from him.

This sort of thing happens far too often. The law needs to change to ensure councillors maintain that local link with the residents they were elected to represent for their entire term, not just on election day.

Conservative councillor in Suffolk refuses to resign despite moving to America

A Conservative county councillor in Suffolk has refused to resign despite moving 4,000 miles away to North Carolina.

Cllr Brian Riley says that he doesn't need to resign because he can still do the job by Skype and email when he's moved to his retirement home in the States. He says that he will visit Suffolk every 6 weeks or so.

Riley need only attend one meeting every 6 months by law to remain a councillor and will continue to be paid £10k a year in allowances.

The local Conservative Party have suspended him.