A deputy mayor who caused a storm of protest by suggesting the council should negotiate with Southern Water over the sale of Telscombe Tye has resigned.

Tony Prince says he is staying on as a Telscombe town councillor and campaigning as an independent at the Telscombe by-election in East Saltdean on September 28.

The independent councillor, who was re-elected to the town council only in January, had come under fire from Liberal Democrats and opponents of Southern Water's plan to expand the Portobello sewage treatment works at Telscombe Cliffs.

If the Government allows the expansion it will mean the sale of an acre of Telscombe Tye, mostly a rocky part of the beach where an expanded Portobello plant could be built.

Mr Prince says the council should start negotiations immediately. The result of the Portobello inquiry is expected later this autumn.

Mr Prince, 57, a building services engineer who has a young family, said: "There is nothing political in this at all, although the Liberal Democrats are making it out to be.

"The simple facts are that I have not got enough time to do the job. Most of the duties of a deputy mayor are during the day and I can't afford the time off. I also want to spend more time with my children, who are both at school."

When Mr Prince won the by-election in January, control of the council passed from Liberal Democrats to the independents who mostly stand under the banner of East Saltdean Residents' Association.

Mr Prince was shouted down at an angry public meeting in July at Telscombe Town Hall when he tried to explain why he wanted to negotiate with Southern Water.

He has always maintained residents have misunderstood his motives regarding the sale of the land and that he was doing his best for Telscombe in trying to get the best deal for residents.

Mr Prince said the council should start negotiations regarding Southern Water's offer to purchase the beach site for £115,000, otherwise the water giant could put in a compulsory purchase order and the council might get only £2,000 if permission was granted for the expansion of Portobello.

Opponents of the massive expansion of the Portobello works say negotiating with Southern Water before the result of the inquiry could signal the green light for the Portobello project.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Telscombe Council David Neighbour, a former mayor, said Tony Prince's resignation was "good news" for Telscombe.

He said his group was to table a vote of no confidence in the deputy major at the next meeting of the town council.

Mr Neighbour said: "After a long summer during which the deputy mayor has been a source of embarrassment with his comments in the Press and local media, we are delighted he has finally resigned."

Environmental activist and campaigner against Portobello John Hodgson said: "The resignation of Tony Prince as deputy mayor is excellent news.

"He should now go the whole hog and resign from the council completely before he can do any more damage."