A HEREFORDSHIRE county councillor has resigned just a week after being elected.

It’s Our County’s Whitecross ward member Sue Boulter stood down yesterday (May 10).

Herefordshire Council says there will be a by-election to fill the vacancy within the next 35 days.

Coun Boulter, who is still Mayor of Hereford (she is also a city councillor), said she was ‘gutted’ to stand down.

In a joint statement on behalf of It's Our County, party co-leaders Alan Seldon and Liz Harvey said: "It is with great regret that we must announce the resignation from Herefordshire Council of Sue Boulter as the elected member for Whitecross. 

"Sue escorts one journey a week for the special educational needs unit of the school transport service and was unaware that this work for the education department disqualified her from being able to stand as a county councillor."

Sue said: “I am absolutely gutted that I have had to resign over this situation.

"I have been supporting this service since 2003 and I love helping these young people.

"However, if I had known this was a problem I would have resigned well ahead of the elections.

"I want to say I am deeply sorry to everyone who supported me in the recent election. I was looking forward to stepping up to be your representative at the end of my year as city mayor.” 

Cllr Alan Seldon. co-leader of IOC, said: ‘We are very sorry to lose Sue. She has been a hardworking member of the IOC team for many years.

"We should have spotted this issue during our selection process and advised Sue appropriately. This was an error on our part."

Sue has been told by Herefordshire Council’s chief executive that she is unable even to resign from her support role and restand in the by-election for her now vacant seat.

The council requires Sue to work a full month’s notice and this prevents her from leaving the employment of the council before the nomination period closes for candidates in the by-election.

Cllr Liz Harvey, IOC’s other co-leader, said: “This is a double blow for poor Sue, but there seems to be no way round the situation.

"We all feel desperately sorry this avoidable situation has come about and we are just glad to still have Sue as a dedicated and knowledgeable city councillor.  

“A by-election has already been called and Sue will play a central role in helping us to agree a candidate to work in partnership with her in the best interests of Whitecross residents.”