War of words over Carlisle councillor's move to USA

In September 2013, Tom Dodd, 30, became one of the youngest councillors to serve on the authority when he was elected to represent Yewdale ward for Labour.

The Party has a slim majority, controlling the city council by a margin of just one seat.

Mr Dodd travelled to the US in early October to marry his 28-year-old American sweetheart Tess. They tied the knot in Michigan on October 13, and are still there.

The issue has come to a head as Conservative city councillor James Bainbridge raised Mr Dodd's continuing absence with the authority's Senior Governance Officer Mark Lambert.

Mr Bainbridge, who represents Stanwix Rural ward, said that Mr Dodd had been unable to attend any council meeting since his move, and suggested that the right course of action was for him to resign.

Speaking from Michigan, Mr Dodd said he had been continuing to deal with constituent issues via email but he confirmed that he will indeed in due course resign his council seat, triggering a by-election.

But he went on to explain that his move to the United States had been made necessary because his wife's father has become gravely ill, and he wanted to be at her side as she supported him.

Mr Dodd said: “I've been with Tess for six years and it was our original intention to live in England, but for several pressing reasons that hasn't happened. Tess's family were worried that her father wouldn't make it to the wedding.

“I didn't want to put them in a situation where as soon as the wedding was over his only daughter would move thousands of miles away.”

Mr Dodd said he has now decided he will resign because it has become clear that he will have to be away from Carlisle for some months - a period that will make continuing as a councillor impractical.

But in the meantime, he said, he had been able to deal with the questions and demands of his constituents by email.

He added: “Being a councillor has been a great experience.

“When I got involved three and a half years ago it wasn't for any political gain. It happened because when I was in the pub I'd hear people complaining about certain things the council were or weren't doing. I wanted to do something about it.” He intends eventually to return to Carlisle – and hopefully one day become Labour Leader of the City Council.

Councillor Bainbridge said that when he raised the issue in council, Labour's deputy leader on the authority, Councillor Les Tickner, had suggested it was an “internal Labour issue.”

Speaking before Mr Dodd spoke to the News & Star, Councillor Bainbridge said: “Whilst I naturally congratulate Councillor Dodd on his October wedding, the move to America must mean that he can not reasonably expect to carry on being a councillor for Yewdale ward in Carlisle.

“I'm surprised that anyone at Carlisle City Council would think this isn't a mockery of democracy, and am flabbergasted at the cavalier attitude of the Deputy Leader of the Council on this matter.

“After last month's farrago of Councillor Osgood stepping down following a conviction for benefit fraud, we now have a councillor who is thinks he will represent a ward whilst living thousands of miles away.”

He said that Yewdale residents do not deserve a long distance relationship with their city councillor, and Councillor Dodd should resign.

Councillor Tickner said that Tom Dodd had kept his Labour colleagues informed at all times of his situation.

He added: “In the mean-time any ward issues have been picked up by the three other Labour Councillors in Yewdale and within the wider Labour Group.

“This is normal practice for all parties when one member is on holiday.

“In circumstances like this where a sitting councillor is considering relocating abroad there are procedures to follow within the Labour group, as there are in Councillor Bainbridge’s group, and that was my response at council.”

He added: “Tom has been an exceptional Councillor for Yewdale and a hard-working councillor within the party.

“It is disappointing that in these unique circumstances Councillor Bainbridge chooses to exaggerate and exacerbate the situation to score petty political points when he should be congratulating the happy couple.”

Labour last week won a Carlisle City Council by-election, with Stephen Sidgwick holding the Castle ward for the party. The poll came after the resignation of disgraced councillor Barrie Osgood.

Labour won the seat with 350 votes - a 22 per cent majority. The city council has 52 Councillors, comprising 27 Labour councillors, 20 Conservative members, four independents and one Liberal Democrat.