A CONSERVATIVE councillor has denied claims he is abandoning his constituency by buying a house 100 miles away.
Hanworth Conservative councillor Andrew Morgan-Watts has been criticised this week for purchasing a home in Gloucestershire just months after the local council election.
But the politician described the criticism from Peter Hills, leader of the West Area Independent Group, as "mud slinging".
Mr Hills said: "He will be hard pushed to provide a good service to the electorate of Hanworth especially as he has cancelled his ward surgeries and will only attend a minimum amount of meetings, a third of which he has already missed since being re-elected.
"Don’t Hounslow’s residents deserve better than this from the Conservatives?"
Cllr Morgan-Watts defended himself against the attack, saying: "I have moved but only about 200 yards from my old address.
"However my wife and I have purchased a property on the edge of the Forest of Dean. When I retire I will leave Hanworth to live in Gloucestershire. The plan at the moment is for me to retire from my career with Richmond Trading Standards at 65. My 61st birthday is on Monday next."
He reinforced the commitment he made when he was elected for a further four years to the people of Hanworth, which he says he will uphold.
He said his surgery arrangements changed "to reflect the demand", and added that he has attended as many council meetings as he has been able to.
