Ex Southend Mayor fails to rejoin Southend West Conservative Association

 Former Southend Mayor Roger Weaver has had his application to rejoin Southend West Conservative Association turned down.

 Mr Weaver, who left the Southend West Association in 2005 and became in independent councillor for two years, stood down in 2007 and rejoined the Conservatives at the Southend East Association.

 Earlier this year Mr Weaver applied to join his original association, but his application was rejected.

 Chair of the Southend West Association Nancy Howard, signed the letter informing Mr Weaver that his application had been unsuccessful. 

 She told the Echo that his behaviour before leaving the association was the cause of the application being turned down:

 “He resigned so precipitously, and left us in the lurch when he formed his own party,” Ms Howard said, “So we decided to give him time to earn his stripes again.

 “The timing has nothing to do with the upcoming elections,” she continued, “It is our prerogative what we choose to do, and we have invited him to try again.”

 Mr Weaver said that he was “shocked” by the letter and accuses the Southend West Association of “playing a political game”.

 He wished to return to the association because he felt he knew the area there and was “concerned about the way people in the area are being represented.”

 Mr Weaver, however, has now said that he is willing to stand in any ward in Southend where he feels he will make a difference.