CONSERVATIVES in Worthing reacted with anger today after deputy mayor Geraldine Lissenburg resigned from the Tory group.

Her departure came just a month after mayor David Chapman defected from the Lib Dems to the Conservatives just days before the council elections.

Mrs Lissenburg's surprise decision to resign and become an independent Conservative came two weeks after she retained her Marine ward seat.

The Tories said they hadn't been told by Coun Lissenburg about her move and the first they knew about it was when they were approached by the media.

Mrs Lissenburg said in a statement: "With the apparent change in approach and attitude of the elected Conservative group, I am left with no choice but to resign. I have not resigned from the party, just the group."

"There needs to be a major improvement in the democratic process and communications in general and I feel that I can do this in a much better way as an independent Conservative."

"Of course, my commitment to the council remains unaffected and I will continue to work in the best interests of the residents of Worthing and the Marine ward as a whole."

But Coun Steven Waight, leader of the new council, said the news had taken him by surprise.

He added: "I really do not know her reasons for resigning.

"I don't know what's going on. She didn't speak to me about this at all.

"I am saddened that she has chosen to do this. I would have hoped she would have spoken to me before.

"Had there been problems, it would have been better to talk them through with me rather than just suddenly take this extreme course of action."

Mrs Lissenburg was mayor of the town in 1997/98 and has been a borough councillor for more than ten years.

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