Council Andrew Johnson has announced his resignation as Leader of Harlow Council this morning after “time to reflect” during the pandemic.

Cllr Joel Charles as Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group will act as interim Leader of the Council until a new leader is elected.

Mr Johnson was the first Conservative leader of Harlow Council, he began his career at age 21- when he was first elected as a councillor in 1998 before becoming leader of the Conservative Group.

He made the following statement: “I have been hugely honoured and privileged to be able to play my part in helping our community for nearly a quarter of a century.

“Of course, being elected in my early 20’s and retaining the leadership ever since has not come without some large personal costs.

“Whilst I do not begrudge for a single second being able to serve my community, it is entirely fair to say that doing so whilst holding down a full-time job, gaining career promotion, getting married, starting a family and even undergoing a kidney transplant has not always been easy.

“I had made my mind up some time ago, in discussions with my family, that I would resign as Leader of the Conservative Group.”

“Then came the pandemic, over the course of the last couple of years we have all lived through the most extraordinary of times.

“Given it was so soon after my transplant I was termed Clinically Extremely Vulnerable and was forced to shield with only my immediate family.

"Like so many others as this pandemic has begun to pass, I have had the opportunity to reflect, pray and reprioritise, realising now more than ever how precious and just how fleeting life can be.

“To this end, it is with a heavy heart that I have chosen to resign as Leader.”