The leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council is to step down.

Nicolas Heslop was first appointed Conservative group leader and council leader in May 2012.

He said: "I am proud of the many achievements we have made across the borough in the past nine years area and how we have met the many challenges that the authority has faced.

"I am especially proud that, after many years of little inward investment, I secured £8m in Local Growth Funding and investment for the borough, itself unlocking a total of £34m inward investment.

"During Covid 19, I am proud by what I have achieved and made possible.

"There are many areas where I and the team have worked to the benefit of our residents; recently and most notably, securing the Angel Centre as a mass vaccination site.

"Facilitating the enormous logistical response to the businesses and local communities in need of funding support was required urgently."

But he said: "The time commitment now for any council leader is far greater and more challenging than ever before.

"During my nine years as leader, it has escalated four-fold.

"I left full-time employment in December 2019 with the role of council leader consuming more and more of my time. Now I wish to have more time to pursue my other interests.

"So I will be standing down as Conservative group leader and therefore as borough council leader at the next council meeting on July 13.

Cllr Heslop previously worked for the Edge Foundation as their public affairs manager. The Foundation seeks to inspire the education system to give young people the training they need and it is to that area he wishes to return.

He is already a member of the Kent and Medway Employment Task Force and he said: "I'm very passionate about the skills agenda.

"We need to have a much better match between the world of education and the world of work to give employers the confidence to take young people on.

"That's why I was so pleased when Panattoni took on the the Aylesford Newsprint site.

"That's going to generate at least 3,000 new jobs and several thousand more in the supply chain, many in high-tech engineering. It will give local youngsters the chance to find work in the Medway Gap instead of being always drawn to London."

'The pandemic has sapped energy and resolve at all levels'

Cllr Heslop, 55, was less enthusiastic about some of the pressures of the role of being the council leader.

He said: "The pandemic has just sapped energy and resolve from the organisation at all levels."

In addition he said he was "very cross" at the way the Planning Inspectorate had refused to accept the borough's Local Plan, when as he said: "We did everything we needed to."

He also said he was "not enamoured" with the Government's review of the planning process.

Cllr Heslop, who only told colleagues of his decision yesterday, intends to stay on as a councillor but wished his successor as leader, whoever that was: "The very best in taking on the growing internal and external challenges faced by the borough council."

He warned: "The success of the waste services contract is paramount for our residents as are the pressures faced by not having a Local Plan in place."

On a personal note, Cllr Heslop said: "I should like to thank the many loyal colleagues with whom I have worked during my leadership, for their advice and guidance."

The new council leader will be officially elected by a vote of all councillors, but since the Conservative group has a large majority, holding 39 of the 54 seats, it is certain to be whoever they pick as their next group leader.

Currently Cllr Martin Coffin is Cllr Heslop's deputy.

Read more: All the latest news from Malling

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