A Salford councillor is facing a wave of protests for standing for election in the Cotswolds, while still representing Ordsall.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Chris Twells has come under fire after City Mayor Paul Dennett published an open letter challenging him to explain how he is a candidate in the Tetbury with Upton ward, having been elected just last year to serve residents in Salford.
Mayor Dennett also accuses Cllr Twells of having a “chronically poor” attendance at council meetings.
According to the Salford City Council website, Cllr Twells has attended only 36 per cent of meetings he was expected to attend this year – that’s four out of 11. He did, however, register apologies for the seven meetings he could not attend.
Lib Dem GAIN from Labour in Salford, Ordsall ward
Chris Twells, Lib Dem – 840
Labour – 748
Green – 234 pic.twitter.com/W6uZlSKdda— North West Lib Dems 🔶 (@nwLibDems) May 6, 2022
Labour Mayor Dennett criticises the Lib Dem councillor for standing in Ordsall last year as the ‘local candidate’ against Salford resident John Walsh, complaining that “he lived ‘six miles away in Irlam'” – pointing out that Tetbury is 160 miles away.
After winning his seat by 90 votes in Ordsall claiming to be the ‘local candidate’, I am shocked to find sitting Salford Lib Dem Councillor Chris Twells is a resident of Tetbury in the Cotswolds, and presently standing there for election.
I believe he has questions to answer. pic.twitter.com/nXnbtLKTgS
— SalfordMayor (@salford_mayor) April 14, 2023
The letter calls on the Lib Dem councillor to tell voters about the situation and questions whether he can “fulfil the duties expected” as a councillor for Ordsall given that he now not only works as the campaigns organiser for Cotswolds Lib Dems but is also a candidate in next month’s election.
In response to the claims, John Grant, chair of Salford Liberal Democrats, said: “[Councillor Twells] is not standing in elections in both authorities. He was elected a year ago in Ordsall ward in Salford. He, like most other working age councillors needs to earn a living as well as his responsibilities as a member of the city council for which he gets expenses.
“This hybrid pattern of working means that some of the time he is working outside Salford but he returns to his home in Salford and can deal with casework which comes from local residents wherever he is. His particular expertise is in running election campaigns which is what he doing just now in the Cotswolds where he is a candidate.”
A Lib Dem spokesperson continued: “Chris has a flat in Salford where he lives, is a councillor and works hard for his local community. His job means that he also lives in the Cotswolds, where he has decided to stand for election in May.”
Cllr Twells has contested four elections for the Lib Dems across England and Wales, including York, Alyn and Deeside, Ordsall, and now Tetbury with Upton.
Cllr Twells is yet to respond to Mayor Dennett’s letter.
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