A TOWN councillor has given her shock resignation at a council's latest meeting.

Bishop Auckland Town Councillor for the Woodhouse Close ward, Tanya Tucker, read out her letter of resignation to fellow councillors at their latest meeting on Tuesday night.

She said: "Due to increased work commitments, I am resigning from the town council, effective immediately.

"As a member of the town council I have found challenges and decisions made that do not sit well with the reason I became a town councillor. I did so to improve the health and wellbeing of residents of Bishop Auckland in general and the ward I represent in particular."

Cllr Tucker said she particularly disagreed with members over purchasing a new building which she said would be too big for the council's needs and mean it would "carry a huge debt for 50 years".

She said: "I agree the Council needs more space. I have no problem with that premise. More amenable office space for staff is definitely required.

"Cllr Zair tried to persuade me that this makes ‘good business sense’ and as he keeps saying that people should come before politics I wonder how this actually works in practice. The town council is not a business.

"Labour’s motto is ‘For the many, not the few’ but I cannot see where the many are going to benefit from this purchase. The current ‘many’ will have possibly passed on by the time this debt is paid, leaving the next generation with the burden."

Cllr Tucker said there were other buildings in the town which would be more suitable than the one proposed and called the current plans "sheer fiscal irresponsibility".

She added: "To continue with this purchase is in my opinion a smack in the face to the people of Bishop Auckland when so many of them are struggling to make ends meet. People should come first, always, not prestige or personal preferences."

The town council confirmed that members were considering moving to a new building - the identity of which has not yet been released to the public - but that the cost would actually be "neutral" to the council as it would also rent out two of the rooms.

A by-election is now expected to take place to fill the vacancy.