A WYRE Forest district councillor has become the second in just over a week to quit the authority's ruling Tory party.

Mitton ward and Stourport town councillor Mike Salter has handed in his resignation, leaving the district council’s Conservative group with 19 district councillors and will continue his term as an Independent.

In a trio of resignations during the last eight days, Mr Salter follows Independent John Aston who resigned last Wednesday, while Stourport town councillor John Holden announced this morning he had switched from the Conservatives to UKIP.

Mr Salter, 77, said: “There was no great animosity, just some of the decisions that have been made I do not go along with and that is that.

“There were certain things which I do not agree with, some of the policies  -and not just at Wyre Forest level - but also from national level there were some things which I found rather hard to accept.

“You have got to make a decision somewhere along the line. I made my decision and put my resignation in this morning. My local constituents will not notice any change at all - they will have my full service.

“You make a decision in life and you believe in your principles and that is what I have done.”

Mr Salter said he had voted Conservative for 60 years and had been a member of Wyre Forest Conservatives for about 10 years.

Group leader John Campion said: “Councillor Mike Salter is a dedicated public servant who has given and continues to give his constituents excellent representation in the office that he holds. He is an excellent representative of the people that he serves.”