Northamptonshire: Home-move councillor resigns over £10k claims

Annabel de Capell Brooke has not attended a North Northamptonshire Council meeting since August

A councillor who moved 65 miles (105km) from her ward and claimed £10,000 in allowances has resigned.

Conservative Annabel de Capell Brooke, who represents Oundle on North Northamptonshire Council, moved to Norfolk last month.

Ms de Capell Brooke, who only attended four meetings since April, told the BBC: "I've resigned. No story."

As first reported by NN Journal, Ms de Capell Brooke was paid more than £8,000 in basic allowances since April.

In the last eight months she was expected to attend 21 meetings, but had only attended four.

The last was a remote online meeting in August.

Councillors in North Northamptonshire get a basic allowance of £1,041.67 per month.

Ms de Capell Brooke also received more than £2,000 for special responsibility as chairwoman of the Employment Committee, despite it not yet having held any meetings.

The Conservative leader of the council, Jason Smithers said he was "aware" of the resignation.

"I fully respect the decision that Annabel has taken and I would like to thank her for the service she has provided to the residents of the Oundle ward," he said.

"The council is not yet in receipt of formal resignation but once received by the Proper Officer, the statutory process will begin."

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The leader of the council opposition group, Labour's Jean Addison, said voters needed a candidate who lived in the area.

"They deserve better and we look forward to the by-election in the New Year when Labour will be fielding a candidate Oundle residents can trust to represent their best interests."

The first elections for the new unitary authority took place in May, and the Conservatives took control having won 60 out of its 78 seats.

In November, when the house move was revealed, Ms de Capell Brooke told the BBC she would remain as a councillor until a new election took place next year.