THE mantra from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council was Love Where We Live – but the Courier can reveal some of its own councillors don't even live in the county.

The council launched the campaign to promote pride in the area in 2008, saying it wanted to share the "reasons why we love to live here".

But three of the council's own members have been able to resist the apparent charms of the borough of Tunbridge Wells – indeed, one lives more than 140 miles away.

The members are mayor-in-waiting Cllr David Jukes who lives in Boars Head in Sussex and Brenchley and Horsmonden representative Cllr Sally Slade, who has been representing her constituents from her home in Spalding, Lincolnshire, since July 2009.

Cllr Jukes' fellow Speldhurst and Bidborough councillor, Melvyn Howell has lived in Battle, some 28 miles from the two villages, since 2007.

He admitted it was "more difficult to keep in touch with what's happening on the ground" since moving to the East Sussex town and said he would be stepping down from his position in May.

He said: "It doesn't work in the long term. It's not satisfactory and I'm not standing again. But I've been a councillor for 20 years so my constituents know me pretty well.

"Living out of the area means you cannot be quite as well in touch with things like potholes and buildings.

"But there are councillors who live in their area and still aren't in touch. I think I've made it work for me."

Speldhurst resident Paula Gammage was one of 18 out of 20 residents asked who failed to recognise a photograph of deputy mayor Cllr Jukes.

Cllr Howell was correctly identified by four out of 20 people questioned.

Mrs Gammage said it "made sense" for councillors to reside in the areas they were elected to represent.

"If someone doesn't live in the area they are representing you think, well, are they interested in it? Whereas if they are local they have a personal interest," she added.

"To represent the borough as mayor it makes sense that you would live in the borough."

Cllr Jukes said his decision to live in Boars Head bore no relevance to his forthcoming mayorship.

He said: "I haven't got a problem with it. No-one has a problem with it. I have not had any complaints. I have been a councillor in the borough for 20 years.

"A couple of years ago we wanted to move out to what I call real country. But I go to parish council meetings, I have been through the area four times today and I have friends in the area. I have a business in the borough and I own a property there."

Ironically, Cllr Jukes said he could "do his job better" since moving from Speldhurst to Sussex.

"I no longer have to declare an interest, especially when we are discussing planning issues," he said.

Cllr Sally Slade travels 142 miles to attend meetings at Tunbridge Wells town hall from her Lincolnshire home.

She said she could not afford to continue running a pub in Matfield and sold up to move further north.

She said: "My term is up in May so I am standing down. That is public knowledge. In the meantime I have been dealing with things by phone and email although I do go backwards and forwards.

"My parents live near Tonbridge so whenever I can I come to a meeting. Obviously it is more difficult, but the vast majority of stuff is done by phone and email anyway.

"There was such a short period between me moving here and the end of my term that financially it wasn't worth having a by-election."

Speldhurst resident Eric Batchelor, 61, of Furzefield Avenue said: "They are putting themselves forward so you can't criticise them for that, as long as they are keeping abreast of things."

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