Cheryl Creaser will represent Rye and Winchelsea as an independent Rother District councillor after resigning from the Labour Party. She announced her decision just before Christmas, two and a half years after first being elected in May 2023.
“I haven’t jumped ship and I’m not stepping down,” she said. “Serving this community will always be my priority and I’ve come to the conclusion the best way for me to do this is by being an independent.”
Her decision is unconnected to national politics. “A lot has been happening at home which has given me pause for thought. I think it’s better all round if I can just be me rather than tied to any political party. For me it’s always been about the people and not the party.”
She said she will continue as a councillor and not resign. “I’m hugely grateful to the people who voted for me, indeed many of them told me they chose me because they knew me. I was elected to serve this community no matter what people’s political allegiances are. That doesn’t change and I will always try to help if I can.”
As well as serving on Rother District Council (RDC), Cheryl Creaser is also a Rye town councillor and has just been elected chairman of the Rye and District British Legion.
Her resignation, after many decades in the Labour Party, means she will be one of three independent councillors at RDC where no party has overall control. There are two councillors representing Rye and Winchelsea – Cheryl Creaser and Simon McGurk.
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