West Norfolk council leader John Dobson is standing down from the council at the next election because of illness, it emerged today.Mr Dobson will not be standing in the May 3rd poll, when all 62 seats on the Borough Council will be up for election.

West Norfolk council leader John Dobson is standing down from the council at the next election because of illness, it emerged today.

Mr Dobson will not be standing in the May 3rd poll, when all 62 seats on the Borough Council will be up for election.

He will continue as Leader and member for Brancaster until then, but expects to be dealing with more business from home, rather than from the council offices in King's Court, King's Lynn.

"Unfortunately, it has become clear that I am facing a prolonged period of treatment in the near future and I will not be in a position to continue as Leader, or to represent the people of Brancaster and the surrounding parishes as their Borough Councillor.

"I am sorry to have to step down in such circumstances, but I am confident that whoever is chosen as the Leader of the new Council in May will find an authority that is well placed to continue the improvements of recent years - improvements that brought last autumn's pleasing rise in public satisfaction with the council's performance."

Mr Dobson was first elected to the Council in 1999 and became Leader in 2003.