SEACOMBE Cllr Denis Knowles - who last week defected from Labour to the Conservative group on Wirral Council - has written a letter to voters in his ward explaining his decision.

He describes his "everlasting shame" at having voted in favour of the ruling Lib/Lab coalition's "strategic asset view" which has recommended the closure of 11 of Wirral's 24 libraries, the sale of Birkenhead Town Hall, and the removal of funding and staff from village halls, community centres, two leisure centres and Pacific Road Arts Centre.

The Labour group maintains that Cllr Knowles only defected to the Tories after he was removed from his position on the Merseytravel board at the group's recent AGM - losing out on £23,000 a year in allowances in the process.

The Globe has obtained a copy of a letter written by Cllr Denis Knowles and distributed to Seacombe homes this morning by fellow Conservative group members.

It says: Dear resident, I have been one of your three local councillors for 10 years. I am writing to explain to you why I have recently left the Labour Party and joined the local Conservatives.

I have become more and more disillusioned, along with many others, with Labour politicians, locally and nationally.

As a member of the Labour Party for more years than I care to remember this situation has caused me great difficulty but loyalty is a concept that is very important to me and, until recently, kept me in the Labour Party.

The turning point, for me, came with the announcement of the Strategic Asset Review late last year, a review that many ‘back bench’ councillors, were not made aware of.

The Review recommended the closure of Guinea Gap, Seacombe Library and Seacombe Community Centre, among others.

As a conscientious and hard working local councillor, living in Seacombe, I have always wanted to listen to and reflect your views, providing a service and an approachability that you could have confidence in.

This review changed all that and I was put in a position where I felt I had to choose between my party and the people who voted me onto the council.

To my everlasting shame, I voted with the party despite petitions and personal requests not to.

I have felt nothing but unhappiness ever since.

Having conveyed my concerns to my party leader and chief whip which were then ignored, I was left with very little option to consider my position.

Eventually, and after much soul searching and conversations with my family, who have always been very supportive of my political work, I decided it was time to make a stand, do my job and show respect and support to the residents in our community.

Having made that decision I requested a meeting with the only organised political party on Wirral which has consistently opposed the cuts by the Labour administration currently in control of our council.

I was pleased with the outcome of those discussions and last Monday at full council I announced my intention to leave Labour behind.

I personally feel as though I have had a burden removed from my shoulders and can hold my head high.

To date, I have received only good reactions for my decision.

I only ever wanted to be a good local councillor serving my constituents and I still do.

I do hope that you do not feel let down by me and I can only request you judge me by my work in the months ahead.

Please contact me if you wish to know more about my work on your behalf or if you have any issue you wish to raise with me.