Councillor resigns (From Watford Observer)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting WO to 80360, or email us
Watford councillor resigns
9:28am Wednesday 1st September 2010 in News
Voters in central Watford will return to the polls to elect a new councillor after the resignation of their current representative.
Councillor Sheila Smillie, the Liberal Democrat representative for the Central Ward, resigned from Watford Borough Council yesterday.
Mrs Smillie, first elected in 1993, has been living in Florida for the past couple of months, where she and her husband are considering starting a new life.
Council colleague Councillor Rabi Martins said: “She had a reputation of being a very good councillor. She always kept up with and followed through her case work very diligently.”
A by election is likely to be called in the coming weeks.
Comments(8)
Andrew1963
says...
2:13pm Wed 1 Sep 10
Parishioner
says...
4:21pm Wed 1 Sep 10
Cllr Andy Wylie
says...
7:13pm Wed 1 Sep 10
Actually I think she has been honest with us. Her application to stay could be refused and she could be back in Watford in the next few weeks but this is a life changing opportunity and she didn't want to become an absentee councillor.
I think she deserves to be remembered as one of the harder working councillors on WBC and one of the opposition councillors paid her a nice tribute this afternoon in an e-mail to all councillors.
Archie Novak
says...
7:30pm Wed 1 Sep 10
Just how long is a long holiday? It seems like a lot more that two months since we last saw her in Watford.
Andrew1963
says...
11:18pm Wed 1 Sep 10
Cllr Andy Wylie wrote:Off newsleters in late spring and replaced by a name of a failed candidate, but 3 months later back on the masthead. Deputy Leader in April and on half a dozen council committees, but off of all but Functions (twice a year back water) committe by May. I think all in Lib Dem group, knew in April she was on the way out, (so months not days) ago. If you are not available for months to carry out your role as a councillor, because you decide you can afford a 'very long holiday' in Florida (and as you say indicated to the Mayor you may never return), you can afford to decline taking the allowances. After all its only £600 a month, i am sure her holiday cost her more than £1,800 so she can afford to pay the money back - if she claimed it. Of course as you say the Lib Dems did not know she would be back. In such circumstances i am sure the advice would be to stop claiming the money from Watford taxpayers or at least put it to one side and be ready to repay it when you finally resigned.
Andy, she was still on newsletters as we rather hoped she would come back after her long holiday. To not put a councillors name on a newsletter just because they are on holiday would be a bit rude! Actually I think she has been honest with us. Her application to stay could be refused and she could be back in Watford in the next few weeks but this is a life changing opportunity and she didn't want to become an absentee councillor. I think she deserves to be remembered as one of the harder working councillors on WBC and one of the opposition councillors paid her a nice tribute this afternoon in an e-mail to all councillors.
Garston Tony
says...
9:48am Thu 2 Sep 10
comms745
says...
11:35am Thu 2 Sep 10
Harry Caine says...
11:29am Wed 1 Sep 10