Harborough district councillor who moved 123 miles south to Surrey has quit

A Market Harborough district councillor who has moved 123 miles south to Surrey has quit.

Cllr Dominic Fosker, who represents Logan Ward in Market Harborough, has gone after moving away to Farnham in April to take up a new job and be nearer his family.

The Liberal Democrat told the Harborough Mail last week that he was determined to see out his term until the next local elections next May.

But Cllr Fosker has now done an about-turn and stepped down from Harborough District Council.

The dad-of-one said he’s decided to go now because a Conservative campaign calling for his head has caused intense stress to him and his family.

A by-election will now have to be held to elect a new councillor for Logan ward in Market Harborough.

Today Cllr Phil King, the council’s leader, told us: “Cllr Fosker has done the right thing.

“I welcome the fact that he’s finally stepped down.

“This councillor moved well away from Market Harborough almost three months ago.

“And he chose not to inform anyone at the time that he was going,” declared Cllr King.

“How can he be accountable to his constituents and how can he best represent them when he’s living over 100 miles away?

“Cllr Fosker upped and went, he came off all our committees and then he has the cheek to say this is all down to me!

“This isn’t about whether this is legal or not.

“It’s about whether it’s right or wrong – and it’s obviously wrong.

“There has been a total vacuum of morality here.

“And I’m sorry to say there has been a complete lack of leadership from within his Liberal Democrat group,” said the Conservative council chief.

“There’s no way I’d allow one of my group to do this.

“Almost 100 local people have signed our petition calling for Cllr Fosker to quit.

“They are not happy that he’s gone away and left them without their councillor here on the ground in Market Harborough.

“People are telling us that this is bang out of order.

“Despite what Cllr Fosker is saying I have not encouraged anyone to attack him or his family in any way, shape or form,” insisted Cllr King.

“But I applaud him now for back-tracking and realising that he’s got to stand down.

“I wish him well for the future in his new life in Surrey.

“Now we’ll have to hold a by-election in Logan ward – and the people will decide who they want to represent them on our council.”

Cllr Fosker, an automotive engineer, has today been asked for a comment.

Elected in May 2019, the Liberal Democrat told us last week: “I intend to serve out my full term as councillor for Logan ward until the elections next May.

“I’ve taken advice from our officers and I have every right to stay on as councillor because I have business interests in Market Harborough.

“I am saving the council the cost of staging a by-election.

“As for my councillor allowances, I am talking to our officers about trying to get that money paid straight to a local charity,” said Cllr Fosker.