Stanley and Outwood councillor Clive Hudson resigns

A long-serving councillor has resigned from his position due to work commitments.

Clive Hudson, a councillor for Stanley and Outwood East, has held a seat on Wakefield Council for 17 years.

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But he says he was finding it increasingly difficult to attend council meetings and work full-time as a lecturer in engineering and aviation technology at the University of Leeds.

He said: "It's frustrating. It is difficult to have a full time job and to be a councillor because there's no exceptions for you if you are busy with work or even if you are self-employed and you miss meetings.

"I do feel it would be beneficial to have council meetings during the early evening.

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"Unfortunately, the last couple of meetings in particular I have had to miss, and I cannot attend the next one, which means I could not complete a meeting within six months."

Mr Hudson said he felt it would "not be looked at favourably" if he stayed.

He said: "My main job has to come first and I have always tried wherever possible to get to meetings. But sometimes that just doesn't happen, if I'm teaching for example."

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Full council meetings at Wakefield tend to be held on Wednesday afternoons, every third month.

Mr Hudson said: "It's got to the stage now where you have to be retired or unemployed to make the meeting commitments and I have to consider my job first."

Mr Hudson, who lives in Altofts, was first elected to the council's Stanley and Altofts ward in 2000.

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It became Stanley and Outwood East in 2004, following boundary changes.

His time on the council has seen him work with local community groups to bring about a refurbishment of a children's play area.

And he also took up environmental and sports positions on the council's cabinet, working to create the Shanks waste recycling centre in South Kirkby and the skate park in Thornes Park.

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He said: "I am going to miss the people in Stanley and Outwood East. I would like to say thank you to them and have enjoyed representing them.

"It's going to be strange, but I'm not going anywhere, I will still be around and about in the community.