One of the three Labour Councillors recently elected in Knights Hill ward has been forced to resign as a councillor just six weeks after being elected on the 22nd May after it emerged she was ineligible to stand. This means a by-election will be held on the 14th August.
The Deputy Leader of Lambeth Conservatives; Cllr Bernard Gentry has contacted Lambeth Council who’ve confirmed that the Cllr Winifred will still receive her allowances despite only serving as a councillor for 6 weeks. The council also informed Cllr Gentry that the by-election will cost the taxpayer an estimated £15,000 in administration costs.
Chairman of Dulwich & West Norwood Conservatives, Luke Tryl, commented on Cllr Winifred’s resignation saying “It is unacceptable that Labour’s failure to properly vet their candidates has led to an unnecessary and costly by-election. The cost of Labour’s failure now has to be footed by local taxpayers as per usual. This by-election is a chance for Knights Hill residents to elect a strong community champion, someone who’ll stand up for them in the Town Hall”.