Fenland Councillor Keane, who quit Conservatives over membership dispute, intends to stand as independent alongside wife
Cllr Bernard Keane. - Credit: Archant
A former town mayor who resigned from the Conservative party after a dispute over membership intends to stand next year as an independent candidate.
Cllr Bernard and Sylvia Keane. - Credit: Archant
Threatened with exclusion by the Conservatives over not paying a £25 monthly membership fee, Councillor Bernard Keane, who has represented March East for 15 years, has decided to go it alone.
When asked about his intention to stand as an independent, he said “I’ll probably give it a swing”.
His wife Sylvia, a former councillor, will also stand as an independent in March East in next May’s council elections.
Cllr Keane said: “It was agreed some time ago all Conservative councillors in Fenland should pay a £25 fee out of their allowance each month towards council elections.
“I voted against it as I didn’t think it was fair. Things have got to the stage where I got a letter saying pay up or that’s it, so I thought that’s it.
“What annoyed me is that other people didn’t pay, but I’m the only person who got this particular letter.”
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