A WELLINGTON councillor has thrown in the towel after his growing frustration over raising council taxes.

Peter Critchard, a Liberal Democrat who was first elected during a by-election for Rockwell Green in August 2001, has stood down from his seat.

"Wellington has always been good to me and my family," he said.

"It's been a difficult decision, I've thoroughly enjoyed my time on the council and don't regret a day of it."

In his resignation letter to the clerk, he said he was stepping down as he was unhappy with the future for local councils.

He said: "After a great deal of thought and consideration I feel that I am no longer able to sit as a member of Wellington Town Council.

"For sometime now I have been unhappy with the direction that central government is forcing our local councils into.

"Meaning that in order to maintain the level of service provision that is now being provided by district councils, local councils are having to increase their precept.

Which means local council tax payers are paying twice the the same service. For the majority of the members of Wellington Town Council, this is not an issue and they are more than happy to inflict double taxation on the people of Wellington."

Mr Critchard was the first mayor in Wellington when it moved away from having a chairman in 2008.

He says his parting hopes for the town is the building of a northern relief road to rid the town centre of traffic and to have houses built where they are needed the most.

A by-election for his replacement will be held in the coming months.