The Labour MP for Chelsea and Fulham has resigned as a local councillor after more than a decade in the role. Ben Coleman, who has represented the Lillie ward in Hammersmith and Fulham since May 2014, said it has been a ‘huge honour’ supporting residents and business and that he will continue to represent them as their MP.
Mr Coleman beat the incumbent Conservative MP Greg Hands to win the Chelsea and Fulham seat at last year’s General Election. It was the first time the West London constituency had voted Labour.
Prior to the election he was Deputy Leader at Hammersmith and Fulham Council and Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care. While he resigned from both roles and relinquished his councillor allowance following his success at the ballot box, he remained a councillor for Lillie ward believing he could juggle the two roles.
A spokesperson for Mr Coleman previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “Ben chose to give up his councillor allowance after the election, but as his local ward is also part of his parliamentary constituency, he continues to represent and support its residents as he has done for the last 10 years.”
Since the General Election in July, Hammersmith and Fulham has held two Full Council meetings. These would have been the only council meetings Mr Coleman was expected to attend as a ward councillor since July. But he sent in his apologies for both due to being unable to attend.
Hammersmith and Fulham Council has now updated the online profile of Mr Coleman stating he is no longer an elected councillor. His most recent term of office is listed as ending on January 8.
Mr Coleman said: “I love Lillie ward and it has been a huge honour to support its residents and businesses as a councillor for the last ten years. It’s very important to me that Lillie is represented by someone who really understands the ward and its people. That is something I have spent time working on, and I will do my level best to ensure that the community gets a truly effective elected representative to replace me. I will continue, of course, to support Lillie and all Chelsea and Fulham residents as their MP.”
A friend of Mr Coleman’s separately told the LDRS: “Ben feels like it is the right time to step down as a councillor.”
Hammersmith and Fulham Council’s website also notes Emma Apthorp similarly stopped being a councillor on January 8. She was elected to represent Hammersmith Broadway in the 2022 elections, and became the borough’s youngest ever Mayor. Hammersmith and Fulham Council will announce by-election dates once they are confirmed.
An ITV News investigation published last week revealed how almost one in 10 MPs also sit on their local council. More than half of those whose attendance records are public are reported as having been to 50 per cent or fewer council meetings since the election.
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