CRAVEN councillor Joan Ibbotson has announced she will not be standing for re-election after 12 years on the council.

Joan, who represents the Aire Valley Ward as an Independent, was due to fight for her seat in May.

But this week she told the Herald she would be stepping down. "I just want to recharge my batteries and have a little bit of time to myself and my family," she said.

"I've done 12 years and given a lot of time and energy to my council work and hopefully I've done some good."

Joan joked that she was "conned" into standing for the Aire Valley seat for the Liberal Democrats back in 1988. "I never thought I'd get elected, but I've never regretted it," she said.

Joan chose to leave the Liberal Democrats last year along with many other councillors. "I think politics is playing too much of a role in local councils," she said.

Carl Lis, Independent Group leader, commented: "It is a awfully sad that Joan has decided not to stand again for Craven District Council, local authorities cannot afford to lose people of her calibre.

"Joan's input at council, whether it has been as chairman of the authority, chairman of various committees or indeed just as a serving councillor, has always been of the very highest quality."

Cononley's Ron Beale has been chosen to stand in Joan's place at the election on May 4, although she did hint that she might return to council life later.

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