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  • "Well I am certainly not going to try and defend the incompetence of the Lib Dem Executive Board member who made this decision, and whichever Officers were advising him at the time. The residents of Warrington must know the truth on everything that goes on at the Town Hall no matter who is in power at any point in time and nothing should be hidden, delegated to Officers without accountability, or referred to closed political groups for discussion. Always remember those at the Town Hall are elected to do what you the residents of Warrington Want, if they do not do it then get rid of them. I know that is not so easy with 60 elected councillors, so that is why I am a strong advocate of the Elected Mayor System. With an elected Mayor you have one person in the town with an overall responsibility, held to account by the councillors and if he/she doesn't do what you want you vote her/him out at the next election and an elected mayor is accountable as the buck stops with him/her"
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Tory candidate forced to step down

9:34am Thursday 19th April 2012 in News

Michael Foxall was forced to step down Michael Foxall was forced to step down

AN election candidate has had to step down after the council found he was living 109 metres outside of the boundary limit.

Conservative candidate Michael Foxall was due to stand in next month’s Burtonwood and Westbrook Parish Council election but now wants to explain to residents why they will not be able to vote for him after believing he is the victim of ‘dirty tricks’.

An extra 109 metres means Mr Foxall is outside of the three-mile parish council boundary limit.

The 57-year-old, who lives on St Mary’s Close, Appleton, and would have been able to stand if he lived on the other side of his road, said he was very disappointed.

He added: “I had checked and thought I was within the boundary but then the Electoral Commission said they had a complaint last week from someone who had checked the distance digitally.

“I knew I was right on the border as the crow flies but believed I was within three miles from the last point of Westbrook.

“I have done the honourable thing and stepped down but I would like people to know why.”

Mr Foxall said he thought somebody must have been ‘really scared’ of him to check the distance and report it to the Electoral Commission and described it as ‘petty’.

He added: “My message to people in Westbrook is it was my mistake and I hold my hands up that I perhaps should have checked but I didn’t realise I would have to go to that extreme. I will still be standing for Westbrook for the borough elections.”

There will be no election for the parish council as not enough candidates agreed to stand.

l More election news on page 12.

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