Ex-North Walsham mayor quits - with an angry attack on local councils

Liz Cornwall, mayor from 1999-2001, said she had become weary of 'continuously talking' about what needed to be done for the town, but 'not seeing any results'.

And she said the town council, North Norfolk District Council and Norfolk County Council were 'not on the same wavelength' and wanted to 'blame each other' for delayed projects.

Mrs Cornwall was on the council from 1995 to 2003 and returned to represent the north ward in 2011.

But her second spell has come to an end, and she said she was planning to concentrate more of her energies on North Walsham in Bloom, saying she could be of 'more use' and adding: 'At least they plan, organise and get things done, and everyone can see the end result.'

In her resignation letter, the former district councillor said: 'It is with heartfelt sadness that I am giving you my resignation.

'I got involved to try and help improve things for the town. I'm not normally a quitter, but I'm afraid I have not got the stomach for just continuously talking about what should be done, and not seeing any results, now or in the near future.

'The longer things are being talked about, the more expensive it becomes, and the less chance it will have of happening.'

Her letter went on: 'I feel very frustrated, as I am sure most of the people in the town do.'

Speaking to the News, Mrs Cornwall cited the examples of the stalled redevelopment of the former HL Foods and Crane Fruehauf sites, plus the 'farcical' delays in reopening the town centre toilet block.

She said: 'When you are elected to represent the public, that is what you should be able to do. But I'm baffled with the idea of localism, as things are simply not getting done for people.

'The only way that the situation is going to improve is through people power.

'We sit round the table and discuss things, but when our discussions are reported to the district council, they mean absolutely nothing. We are wasting our time.'