December 22, 2022 5.00 pm This story is over 16 months old

Former Conservative council leader quits party after row

He was seen having heated words with his own party
Councillor Matthew Lee stepped down as leader of South Kesteven District Council in 2019

The former leader of South Kesteven District Council has left the Conservative party after an apparent falling out. 

Councillor Matthew Lee is now listed as an unaligned Independent on the council’s website.

The Stamford St Mary’s representative hasn’t provided any reason for the change.

However, it follows a heated exchange with members of his former group at a full council meeting last month. Local Democracry Reporters attended the meeting and witnessed the fallout.

Councillor Lee was heard to shout angrily in the council chamber after a meeting around the closure the Deepings Leisure Centre in November.

He had previously promised new leisure centres during his time as leader.

After the meeting concluded, he was apparently annoyed that he was being blamed by some Conservatives for the situation. 

Members of his party were seen urging him to keep it down.

Councillor Lee hasn’t responded to the Lincolnite’ questions about his apparent change of allegiance.

Council leader Kelham Cooke, who now leads the group, said: “I can confirm that Matthew has resigned from the Conservative Party and will now sit as an independent unaligned until the end of this term.”

Councillor Harish Bisnauthsing (Liberal Democrats), who also represents the Stamford St Mary’s ward, said he wasn’t surprised to learn of the news. 

“He doesn’t do a single piece of casework for his constituents and can never be contacted,” he said when told about the change.

“He should be ashamed of taking taxpayers’ money as a councillor.”

Councillor Lee hasn’t responded to these allegations.

He resigned as leader of the council in 2019 following local elections in which the Conservatives lost several seats, and he clung onto his by only a handful of votes.

He had previously been the Deputy Leader of Peterborough City Council.