Former mayor, Ronnie Conway-Haskins, says her decision to quit from the Liberal Democrats was nothing to do with the Aztec West consultation - but was entirely down to a misplaced quote.

Councillor Conway-Haskins left the party after a quote, apparently from her, was included in a Lib Dem Focus newsletter - she says the quote was not hers and asked for it to be removed before it was printed.

Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidate John Kiely told the Examiner that her decision was “strange” and that the councillor had been thinking of leaving anyway.

But Mrs Conway-Haskins told us Mr Kiely had “totally missed the point” and that she quit because she asked for the quote to be removed and it was not.

“The whole essence of my resignation is that he put in a quote, purportedly from me, which I asked him to remove. He failed to remove the quote and now denies that I asked him to.”

Mrs Conway-Haskins added that she did not want to get into a political fight and added that she wanted to do her best for the town.

“I do not believe that a town council should become a political forum and have always used my best efforts to represent the people, irrespective of who they vote for and I will continue to use my best efforts to represent the interests of the people of Bradley Stoke.”

Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate John Kiely (pictured, right, with Cllr Jon Williams) has hit back in a row over Ronnie Conway-Haskins’ decision to leave the party.

Mrs Conway-Haskins told The Bradley Stoke Examiner that she had ditched them after a quote, which was wrongly attributed to her, was included in a party publication.

She said the leaflet claimed she had critcised Bradley Stoke Town Council for not discussing the Aztec West roundabout consultation - the article is republished on the Lib Dem website.

Mr Kiely issued a lengthy statement to us saying that using the issue over the roundabout to leave the party was “strange” and that she had discussed leaving the party with him “several weeks ago”.

The statement said:”… to use the issue of the Aztec west roundabout as the ‘issue of integrity’ in which to tender her resignation seems unusually strange. It was Ronnie who raised with me the issue of lack of consultation over the Aztec roundabout.

“We were both rightly concerned at the lack of local Councillor and resident involvement over what are major changes to the busiest roundabout in the Town.”

The former mayor, Mrs Conway-Haskins, has now become and independent saying she is still ”focused on doing the best for the people of Bradley Stoke.”

We’ve included the full statement below for you to read:

I am obviously saddened by Cllr Ronnie Conway-Haskins decision to resign from the party and become an independent but as she mentioned to me several weeks ago her desire to become one, the decision has not come as a surprise.
 
But to use the issue of the Aztec west roundabout as the ‘issue of integrity’ in which to tender her resignation seems unusually strange.  It was Ronnie who raised with me the issue of lack of consultation over the Aztec roundabout.  We were both rightly concerned at the lack of local Councillor and resident involvement over what are major changes to the busiest roundabout in the Town.  
 
Our Focus newsletter reflected her view about that process, but yet she appears to be implying in her resignation statement that what was printed is not factual, the Town Council have not formally put the Aztec roundabout plan on their agenda so how would residents know it was being discussed?  
 
The fact that she had to check with the Council shows that she herself was unaware, but according to the minutes of the last planning meeting (23/04/08) it was only raised through a public submission to alterations to the Pear Tree Rd roundabout and so the Council itself did not raise the issue on behalf of local people, which means the Focus story is correct.
 
so I am unclear how her integrity has been compromised?  Maybe she might explain how she and other residents were consulted and what the Council did with their submissions?
 
We all know from the way that the Council have dealt with the Bowls and youth clubs that their consultation and involvement processes are sadly deficient.
 
I believe that the current Conservative run Council has adopted a hectoring approach to both local residents and opposition members on Bradley Stoke Town Council and I feel this has had an impact on Cllr Conway - Haskins and others.   
 
Regardless, I do hope that she will still work with us for the benefit of Bradley Stoke residents.

A Bradley Stoke councillor has ditched the Liberal Democrats and become and independent in a row over a wrongly attributed quote.

Ronnie Conway-Haskins said a quote in the latest Lib Dem Focus leaflet claimed she had critcised Bradley Stoke Town Council for not discussing the Aztec West roundabout consultation.

Mrs Conway-Haskins said she had asked for the quote to be removed after seeing a proof copy of the leaflet but found it made it to the final printed version.

The matter, according to Councillor Conway-Haskins, had been discussed by the town council during a planning meeting.

She has now become and independent after being a Lib Dem member since the age of 18.

“I have no leaning towards Labour or the Conservatives. It’s not always about party politics,” she said.

“I am still focused on doing the best for the people of Bradley Stoke.”

Emma Bone, the Liberal Democrats’ Parliamentary candidate for the upcoming Filton and Bradley Stoke seat, has quit.

Ms Bone, 24, was selected 18 months ago but has made the decision because of family reasons.

Lib Dem councillor Neil Hansell told the South Gloucestershire Observer: “I am personally very sad to be losing Emma but she has made her decision to move on for personal reasons.”

The new Filton and Bradley Stoke seat will be created at the next election through boundary changes.