A LONG-serving north Lancashire councillor has announced he will "quit" Lancaster City Council at next month's local elections.

Cllr Roger Mace has represented the villages of Arkholme, Borwick, Nether Kellet, Over Kellet and Priest Hutton on the council for 20 years.

As reported by the Gazette, the former mayor of Lancaster was deselected by the local Conservative party from standing in this year's May 2 elections.

Since his deselection last summer, Mr Mace has continued to serve the rural Kellet ward as an independent councillor.

The Nether Kellet villager has announced he will "put his weight" behind the Lib Dem candidate in his ward at the local elections - against the official Conservative candidate.

"I have found it impossible to come to terms with the way the Conservative Party is developing," said Mr Mace in a statement.

Mr Mace is one of three Tory councillors to be deselected by the Morecambe and Lunesdale Conservative Association.

The others are Cllr Peter Williamson, leader of the city council's Conservative group, who represents Upper Lune Valley, and Coun Nigel Goodrich, of Silverdale.

Mr Mace, the city council's former Tory leader, says he has resigned from the national Conservative Party and the local constituency association to preserve his "personal integrity" and his "freedom of action".

He said: "Since last July, when I was denied approval as a future candidate, I have continued to serve my electors and work tirelessly on the council."

A parish councillor for 12 years for his home village of Nether Kellet, Mr Mace was elected to Lancaster City Council in 1999.

He said he was disappointed to have had to resign after being an active Conservative supporter all his adult life and a founder member of the constituency Conservative association.

"It has not been an easy decision," he said.

Standing for the Lib Dems in the Kellet ward on May 2 is Michael Mumford, who used to be a colleague of Mr Mace at Lancaster University.