The Conservatives’ North Deal district and town councillor Bob Frost has been approved for re-selection.

The news comes after a month of speculation surrounding the councillor’s future as a representative of the town.

Constituency party chairman Keith Single told the Mercury on Monday: “The process regarding Cllr Frost’s re-approval is complete and I can confirm he has been re-approved for selection as a Conservative candidate in North Deal.”

The Mercury understands the party did move to deselect Cllr Frost after he was interviewed by a panel of five at the Dover and Deal association’s office in The Strand in Walmer on Wednesday, December 17, after a vote of 3-2 to deselect him.

But after information from a senior Dover and Deal Conservative source, it is understood the party has now revoked its decision following an appeal.

The Mercury understands that at the appeal, Cllr Frost gave an undertaking that he would no longer use social media to make controversial remarks.

This follows on from events last year when the former Sir Roger Manwood’s school teacher made remarks on social media about Labour voters living “on a diet of lard and fags” and that his shares in Israeli arms trade had “gone up by 6%”.

The remarks were heavily criticised.

Cllr Frost, who has not commented directly on the matter until now, said: “I am pleased to confirm that I shall be standing as one of the Conservative Party candidates for North Deal in the forthcoming elections.

“If the voters of Deal re-elect me in May then I shall be pleased to continue serving them.”

The senior Conservative Party source said: “Bob is an excellent ward councillor and we do hope that he can continue to be so.”

Dover and Deal’s Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke said he was very pleased to hear the news about Cllr Frost.