A DISTRICT councillor who said he would resign after moving from Oxfordshire to Thailand has now decided not to do so.

Steve Hayward still represents Ducklington on West Oxfordshire District Council despite having lived in Thailand since June – and claiming his councillor allowance.

Mr Hayward, who did not respond to the Oxford Mail’s request for a comment last night, had initially told BBC Radio Oxford that he would be resigning. But a spokesman for the district council has since confirmed that Mr Hayward has told officials he will not be resigning but will only take 10 per cent of his allowance of £4,350.

Originally a Conservative, Mr Hayward left the party last year after claiming he was sacked from a committee position.

He has since sat on the council as an independent.

He now helps run two bars in Thailand but told the Oxford Mail earlier he was capable of doing his job of councillor using email and Skype.

Meanwhile Witney town councillor Ben Woodruff says he has been attending Ducklington Parish Council meetings since the New Year in the absence of Mr Hayward.

Mr Woodruff is the Conservative candidate for the Ducklington seat which will be contested in May and says he has been offering help and advice to the area’s residents where possible.