Former Portchester East councillor defends decision to quit his post
FORMER Portchester councillor Chris Brown has defended his decision to quit Fareham Borough Council.
As reported on in The News, he resigned from his position as ward councillor for Portchester East on Friday after he had been unable to attend a council meeting for six months.
Mr Brown said he was unable to continue carrying out his duties as a councillor due to work pressures. But he added that he did not keep the £3,230 he was paid in members’ allowances and instead put it towards community projects.
He said that since being elected in May 2010 he worked hard to campaign for the new Portchester Community Centre and has fought against plans for 7,000 homes in the north of Fareham.
‘Since I have been on the council I have done between 2,000 and 3,000 hours of work in the community. That’s an awful lot,’ he said.
‘I got into it to keep Portchester Community Centre where it was.
‘And I was a major opponent to the SDA from day one. I fought to keep the green fields up there.
‘I have campaigned and fought for improved accommodation, better local conditions, and have worked to solve many issues regarding anti-social behaviour, traffic and highways problems.
‘I wanted to make a difference in Portchester. I believe in people and what the people deserve and should get. I have managed to do things in Portchester that no-one else has done.
‘I set up a youth facility for the locals to encourage the kids to come along to help the local children.’
Mr Brown added that he has also donated some of his members’ allowances to local charities, as an anonymous donor.
He said that he was forced to resign from the council because his work commitments were preventing him from attending meetings regularly and that he couldn’t resign before the end of January due to the cost of an early by-election.
‘The business we have been struggling with has taken off,’ he said. ‘I have been working 60 to 70 hours a week to get that going.
‘I couldn’t get through Fareham to get to the meetings on time.
‘Work problems have caused me to be unable to get to the meetings.
But despite resigning from the council, Mr Brown said he is keen to continue working in Portchester.
‘I can still achieve what I want without being attached to the council, he added.
‘Because of work commitments I couldn’t get to the council meetings but I have still done the work outside the council and still invested the money that’s been put back into the community in many ways.
‘I have done what I really wanted to do. I am very pleased and proud of what I have done.’
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Portsmouth
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
Comments
There are 59 comments to this article
Page 1 of 4
liverpoolboy
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 07:09 PMBlossom has wilted,sadly
The Blossom
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 08:24 PMgood job your opinion doesn't count in here then!
End of
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 08:07 PMI agree with you at #54, Gosport Lass. Sadly some people seem to enjoy gnashing their teeth far more than honest debate and are abusive to new posters from the outset. Phrases like "You idiot", "You moron" and "yes, that was a threat" should all result in a ban, in my opinion.
jpportsmouth
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 06:25 PMSid comments like a politician, anyone else noticed?! He seems clueless
HilaryatLee
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 03:11 PM@54 I agree. We can all play at that silly game.
Gosport Lass
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:08 PMI just wish people could go back to posting on this website comments about the subjects in question rather than all the recent argumentative personal postings. They just detract from the main point and make awkward, unprofessional and unpleasant readings. Thank you plea over LOL
Gosport Lass
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:00 PMPlease excuse my ignorance but reading between the lines am I correct in assuming the indication made here is that a certain Councillor posts on here personally. If my understanding is correct I think this is utterly appalling. His role within the Borough demands him to be a man of high esteem showing professional conduct at all times, not somebody party to squabbling and trying to win points by petty back biting on what really is a chat room style forum. I fully understand about freedom of speech but surely a person of such a position should show more respect to his Borough. Again excuse my ignorance and I may be wrong so feel free to correct me if that is the case, but don't workplaces have policies against this sort of thing - Dignity at Work or something?
Stella Bell
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:14 AMIt would not be too difficult to realize that the people that use real names write letters to the news and have to give their name and address also telephone number. I have had many printed and so has Shaun Cunningham
Stella Bell
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:59 AMFOOD FOR THOUGHT How to get elected when you are on a bit of a sticky wicket Council say their preferred option is to build the community centre on the local car park with no intention of doing this. All the residents then campaign…, the local councillor then saves the day on the back of the resident’s campaign and start to get good points ready for the next election. NEXT….Your council says it is considering parking charges in your local precinct car park with no intention of doing this (well not at the present time anyway)…..All the residents campaign….…. more points for the local councillor who is up for re-election in May gets re-elected again……BUT WILL HE THIS TIME. You can fool some of the people some of the time but you can’t fool people all of the time.
sidious
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:39 AMI was answering @45. It's up to you to provide "proof" as far as @44 is concerned, surely?
The Blossom
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:34 AM@48 No it's up to you, you idiot. Don't accuse me of posting using a different name, close in time to when I post as Blossom WITHOUT telling me who that other name or person is supposed to be. Because you cannot. You're just full of it
The Blossom
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:33 AM@48 No it's up to you, you idiot. Don't accuse me of posting using a different name, close in time to when I post as Blossom WITHOUT telling me who that other name or person is supposed to be. Because you cannot. You're just full of it
The Blossom
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:32 AMANSWER @44. Provide proof
sidious
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:28 AMPhysical proof exists, Blossom; physical proof exists.
The Blossom
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:23 AM@43 really sad that it's just you two left in here lying away....
Page 1 of 4
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.