A county councillor has switched parties following his concerns farmland could “disappear forever”.

Cllr Trevor Shonk, who represents Ramsgate on Kent County Council (KCC), has left the Conservative Party and has now joined Thanet Independents.

He says he feels the council is letting farmers down in regards to its housing policy.

It comes as Cllr Shonk, along with Thanet councillor Linda Wright, were both suspended from the Conservative party last November for defying the party on housing policy.

Both members had sided with a Green Party motion on KCC's policy regarding developer money put towards community improvement, known as section 106 contributions, as part of planning permissions.

At the time, Cllr Shonk said he “won’t grovel” to be accepted back into the Tory fold.

But now, he has left the group all together.

Speaking today, Cllr Shonk said: “We are in a dire situation at KCC. We need more transparency and more scrutiny. The leadership at KCC just doesn't listen to backbenchers, especially backbenchers from Thanet.

"I can't just stand by and watch our farmland disappear forever. Like many voters across Kent,

“I feel that the Conservative Party has let our farmers down, especially here in Thanet.

“Local residents trusted us to protect the farmland.

“But despite all the rhetoric from senior politicians it just hasn't happened. People are fed up with “concrete, concrete, concrete”.”

Multiple proposals to develop on Thanet farmland have been put forward – including plans to build 500 homes and a secondary school near Westwood Cross.

Discussing Trevor’s party transfer, leader of Thanet Independents Cllr John Worrow said: “I am delighted to welcome Trevor Shonk to Thanet Independents.

“I have known Trevor for many years, and I have always admired his independent minded approach towards local politics.

“I understand his disappointment with the Conservative leadership at KCC, whose housing policy is just as detrimental to our farmland as the approach taken by Thanet District Council's Labour leadership."

In recent weeks, farmers in Kent have rallied together to protest over unfair treatment and cheap imports.

Demonstrations have been held in Dover, Ashford and Canterbury.