Former Liberal Democrat councillor Ian Wilkes has joined the Conservative Party, on the day that the UK left the European Union.
I was delighted to meet with Ian in Audley, to welcome him to the Conservative Party and to talk about his priorities for our area.
He brings a wealth of expertise and experience to the Conservative group on the borough council, and he is well-known in Audley as a committed community campaigner.
His support for Brexit and his respect for the referendum result are absolutely in line with both his community and Newcastle-under-Lyme more widely. I look forward to working closely with Ian in Audley to support our residents.