Suffolk county councillor plans to keep job... despite move to America

Brian Riley with his daughter (left) and wife (right) Credit: ITV News Anglia

The county councillor for Hadleigh, Suffolk is planning to move to America, but is insisting he does not need to resign.

Brian Riley has said he can still carry out his council work using the internet but the county council says it is untenable and there are calls for him to step down.

Brian Riley was elected in May 2013 but he has now decided to move... almost 4,000 miles across the Atlantic to Raleigh, North Carolina. But he claims he does not need to resign.

Mr Riley was unavailable to talk to ITV News Anglia today, but he has been quoted in the EADT as saying "I shall be coming back to the UK every six or seven weeks to keep up with my council work. We are in the 21st century with emails and Skype and there are plenty of ways of keeping in touch."

Mr Riley will still be entitled to his council allowance of almost £10,300 a year. The next county council elections are not until 2017 and technically he could remain in the seat until then.

There are currently no laws or rules governing where a councillor can live once he has been elected. They must live in the county to stand in an election, but they cannot be forced to resign once elected if they attend an official council meeting at least once every six months.

He has been suspended by the Conservative group on the council and the county council is keen for him to reconsider.

The whole scenario has called into question the lack of rules dictating where a councillor can live and what exactly they are there to do.