Councillor disappointed at Wigan Council support for Yorkshire-based colleague

Independent councillors Jim Ellis, Stuart Gerrard, James Paul Watson and Jamie Hodkinson all called for Coun Stephen Hellier to step down as chairman of several council committees.

In a letter to council leader Coun David Molyneux, they raised concerns about Tyldesley Labour councillor Stephen Hellier “no longer residing within the borough of Wigan.”

Coun Hellier, pictured, chairman of the Planning and Licensing and Regulation Committees, insists he has done nothing wrong and has made the decision for “personal family reasons” and “not acted illegally.”

And council bosses have also backed him saying Coun Hellier’s situation “continues to satisfy” the requirements for being a councillor.

The councillors have also since received a response from chief executive, Alison McKenzie-Folan, who has also expressed her support for Coun Hellier.

In the reply, she said: “I can confirm that Coun Hellier did advise the council of his plans to move to Yorkshire earlier this year.

“He has provided me with his new address and I can confirm that he satisfies the qualifications to be a councillor.

“The details of his nomination papers are non-disclosable, but I can assure you that Coun Hellier has been accessible and has attended all meetings and has been fulfilling all his councillor duties either by commuting or by virtual meetings (which is what all the councillors are doing at the present time).”

But Coun Steve Gerrard said there was a lot more to being a councillor than attending virtual meetings.

He said: “It’s a standard response from Wigan Council and I would expect nothing else.

“But you can guarantee that Labour councillors would also be up in arms if an opposition councillor wasn’t living in the area and making decisions.

“Being a councillor is also going about your constituency and seeing for yourself what’s going on."

He added: “I would repeat my calls for Coun Hellier to stand down as chairman of the committees and from his role as a councillor the moment a by-election is once again possible.”

A council spokesman previously said: “Coun Hellier did advise the council of his plans to move out of the area earlier this year.

“According to the criteria set out by the Electoral Commission, the elected member’s situation continues to satisfy the requirements for being a councillor. Coun Hellier has continued to fulfil his duties and has attended all committee meetings virtually in accordance with the current practice of all members.”

The council were approached by the Wigan Observer asking for a comment directly from the council leader Coun David Molyneux but they decline to do so.

Leigh Constituency Labour Party (CLP) have also not responded to our request for comment.

In a statement, Coun Hellier, who received £15,445.98 members allowances in 2018-19 which included a special responsibility allowance of £2,934.06, said his situation was ”not uncommon among councillors.”

He said: “Earlier this year I moved home from Tyldesley to live in Yorkshire.

“The move was not ‘kept secret’ and was necessary purely because of personal family reasons.

“I strongly refute the suggestion that I have abandoned Tyldesley.

“Nothing could be further from the truth and I know that the people of Tyldesley, whom I have represented as theircouncillor for 18 years, will understand fully my situation.

“Equally, I understand that some of my constituents may be concerned about this in terms of both the legal position and the practicalities.”

“Although people might be concerned about the practicalities, my position is crystal clear. The people of Tyldesley elected me to continue to serve as their councillor.

“I intend to honour that contract. Additionally, as Chair of Planning, Regulation and Licensing, I am currently serving residents across the whole of Wigan in a demanding role made more challenging because of the coronavirus situation.

He added: “Since the Covid-19 emergency in March, all of our meetings have had to be virtual but, personally, I am keen to get back to live meetings and, when lockdown ends, I will resume my monthly face-to-face surgeries."