A councillor who brought his local authority into disrepute after "rugby tackling" a fellow council member to the ground is to be asked to resign.

William Prior was suspended for five months from Maldon District Council on January 12, following a decision by the adjudication panel of the Standards Board for England, after breaching the council's code of conduct.

He was due to be re-instated on June 11, but at last night's meeting of the district council a recommendation for Mr Prior to hand in his resignation as Maldon west ward councillor was approved unanimously by members.

Mr Prior has already been expelled from the local branch of the Conservative party and faces suspension from his position on Maldon Town Council when a meeting is held on Monday night.

Events came about in September 2003, after Mr Prior accused fellow district councillor Brian Mead of spreading rumours about him.

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Published Friday, February 11, 2005

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