Newly elected North Norfolk councillor to stand down for health reasons
Lib Dem Emma Coleman was elected to represent the Briston Ward in May
A newly elected councillor is standing down in north Norfolk due to ill health.
Emma Coleman, councillor for the Briston Ward, has resigned from North Norfolk District Council (NNDC).
Ms Coleman was first elected to NNDC in May, standing for the Liberal Democrats.
In a statement, Ms Coleman said: “Sadly I have recently been diagnosed with a serious illness, the prognosis for which is very uncertain.
“I am so grateful to everyone who voted for me to be their representative and I am so sad not to able to fulfil the role any further.
“I love this area and the people so much and I wish for a new councillor to be chosen who will take on the role wholeheartedly.”
She thanked the staff at NNDC for their kindness and their service to the public.
Council leader Tim Adams thanked Ms Coleman for her service to the authority.
He said: “Emma became a councillor solely to support her community, so it is a shame that has been taken away from her because of illness. Our thoughts are with her.
“It is sad for this to happen, it’s a matter of months after she was elected, but we are grateful to her for standing for the council and her service in that time.”
A notice of election will be posted next Thursday and a by-election for the seat is expected to be held on Thursday, December 7.
The Lib Dems now hold 24 of the 40 seats across North Norfolk’s 32 wards.
The Conservatives managed 12 seats and the Independents three.
Briston has been held by the Lib Dems since 2019 and previously from 2003 to 2015.
The seat was overseen by the Conservatives between 2015 and 2019.