by political editor Paul Francis

The former leader of Tunbridge Wells council is fighting an attempt to
stop him from standing as a Conservative candidate in the next county council election.

Cllr Roy Bullock is facing the threat of deselection and being ditched
as a candidate by his own association after 16 years on the county council.

The move has triggered a dispute among party members and has led to a wrangle over whether he should be re-adopted to fight the KCC division
of Tunbridge Wells North next May.

It is understood Cllr Bullock, who was ousted as leader of Tunbridge Wells council last year after a vote of no confidence among colleagues, put his name forward for re-adoption as a candidate.

However, he was told his name could not go forward in a ballot because the decision not to reselect him as a candidate for the borough council election also applied to his bid to stand for the county council.

It is that issue at the centre of a dispute and will be the subject of an appeal to the constituency association's executive.

Cllr Bullock declined to comment when approached.

Andrew Kennedy, Conservative party agent for the Tunbridge Wells Association, said that the adoption of prospective candidates was a confidential matter and declined to coment.