A former mayor and cabinet member is one of two Conservative councillors who have been axed in the run-up to May’s election.

Cabinet member for planning and transportation Cllr Sue Murray was deselected and will not contest Borough Green and Long Mill in the local election.

Cllr Tony Sayer has also been given the push by the party after serving in the same ward since 2007.

Cllr Murray, who served as mayor of Tonbridge and Malling from 2009 to 2011, has represented the ward since 1999 and served as a parish councillor for the town for 27 years before retiring from the position in 2011.

Cllr Sayer, of Long Mill Lane, will stand independently. He said he was not given a reason as to why he was removed but says it follows a change of selection policy.

He added: “I approached the association following the decision but it refused to give me any reasons.

“The attitude of the people on the committee was very aggressive.”

A spokesman for Tonbridge and Malling Conservatives confirmed to the Kent Messenger both councillors had been deselected and no replacements have yet been chosen.

“I approached the association following the decision but it refused to give me any reasons. The attitude of the people on the committee was very aggressive.” — Tony Sayer

Jacques Arnold, of the group’s local government committee, was unavailable to comment on the reasons for the decisions.

Cllr Murray of Staleys Road has confirmed she will not stand at all at this year’s election, an announcement her family are delighted about as she plans to spend more time with her sons.

Claims councillors Rodney Chartres and Trevor Robins were also axed were rejected by the spokesman, who stated the pair chose to step down.

Mr Chartres has represented Ightham since 2006, and Mr Robins has served in Kings Hill since 2003. Both wards will be enlarged.

Ightham will now be known as Wrotham, Ightham and Stansted. Two well-known people are to stand there for the Conservative party. They are cheese maker and parish councillor Robin Betts and Cllr Martin Coffin, a current Tonbridge and Malling cabinet member.

Kings Hill has gone from two seats to three, with the party selecting parish councillors Sarah Barker and Lee O’Toole to run alongside Piers Montague.