Unitary by-election anticipated as councillor moves out of county

Council leader suggests councillor should resign as she announces Norfolk move

By Sarah Ward

A by-election could be held just six months into the first term of North Northamptonshire Council after an Oundle councillor has announced a move to Norfolk.

Conservative Annabel de Cappel Brooke announced her departure from her East Northamptonshire home and a move to the East coast to friends on Facebook last week and now the council’s leader Jason Smithers has told NN Journal that he ‘suggests she resign’.

However the councillor, whose Norfolk move was rumoured before she stood for election in May, refused to say whether she would stand down, instead saying ‘no comment at this time’.

De Cappel Brooke was a county councillor and a member of the former East Northamptonshire council before being elected to the Oundle ward, alongside Cllr Smithers and Cllr Helen Harrison in the first NNC elections in May.

During her time as an ENC councillor her attendance was low, one year she missed two thirds of the meetings she was expected to attend.