Croydon councillor decides it’s time to step down

By Harrison Galliven, Local Democracy Reporter

Two councillors have resigned within the space of 24 hours, triggering by-elections in Croydon and Sutton.

Conservative Croydon councillor Jade Appleton and Labour Sutton member Sheila Berry handed in resignation letters to their respective councils, triggering by-elections on May 2.

Cllr Appleton, who was elected as the ward councillor for Park Hill and Whitgift in 2021, handed in her official resignation letter to Croydon council on Sunday. She had already stepped down from her various committee roles before her resignation.

In her resignation letter, Cllr Appleton cited ‘a change in work commitments’ as the reason that she could no longer fulfil her duties as a councillor. Cllr Appleton works as a director at a London marketing agency.

In her statement, published on X, Cllr Appleton said: “Due to a change in my work commitments I no longer feel available to commit to the time required to deliver the standard deserved by local residents and our community.

“It has been an honour to have had the opportunity to serve the ward I call my home.”

Over the border in Sutton, Cllr Sheila Berry also announced her resignation. Cllr Berry, who is the deputy leader of the three-strong Labour group in Sutton, announced that she is standing down as ward councillor for St Helier West on Monday.

A former mayor of Epsom and Ewell, Cllr Berry was elected in the most recent council elections in 2022. Her win, alongside Sheldon Vestey and Dave Tchill of Hackbridge, meant she was among the first three Labour councillors elected in Sutton in almost 20 years.

Pictured top: Jade Appleton (Picture: Croydon Conservatives)