A COUNCILLOR has been disqualified from his parish office over a point of law which relates to previous criminal convictions.

Hazlemere councillor Alex Slater has been kicked-off the parish council in relation to a section of law which refers to criminal activity in the five years preceding his election.

Cllr Slater, who represents the Liberal Democrats and still holds a seat for Wycombe District Council refused to comment on the decision.

WDC have since said they are not aware of any reason which affects his position as a district councillor.

According to Hazlemere Parish Council, he was first co-opted onto the parish council in July 2008 and later won a seat at the parish elections in May 2011, before he was victorious at a by-election for the Wycombe District Council Hazlemere-South seat in November 2011.

In a statement on the HPC website, chairman Brian Mapletoft said: "A casual vacancy is hereby declared for Hazlemere Parish Council resulting from the application of S80(d) of the Local Government Act 1972 Disqualification for election and holding office as member of local authority.

"Any questions on the result of implementation of this clause should be addressed to the monitoring officer of Wycombe District Council."

This act of law relates to convictions and says if an offender has a sentence of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) for a period of three months or more, they should not stand for election within five years of sentencing.

A statement from Ali Banham, the council clerk said: "Alex Slater is no longer a member of the Hazlemere Parish Council and a casual vacancy in the office of Councillor for the Parish has therefore arisen."

The Council may choose to co-opt to fill the vacancy until that election, which is less than six months away.

The council would not comment further on the situation.

A WDC spokesman said: “We have received notification from Hazlemere Parish Council that they now have a vacancy.

“There is no legal requirement to inform us how the vacancy has arisen. “Due to timing, the vacancy will be filled at the next ordinary election of councillors on Thursday 7 May 2015, although the parish council may choose to co-opt to fill the vacancy between now and then.

“We are not aware of any reason which affects Alex Slater's position as a district councillor.”

The section of law the disqualification refers to says: "A person shall be disqualified for being elected or being a member of a local authority. . . if he has within five years before the day of election or since his election been convicted in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man of any offence and has had passed on him a sentence of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) for a period of not less than three months without the option of a fine."