FORMER mayor and district councillor Darren Hayday will quit local politics after becoming disillusioned with controversial plans for a new community stadium.

The Booker and Cressex ward member told the Bucks Free Press he will not stand in the next elections, saying he was “200 per cent against” a stadium and sports village.

He said London Wasps and Wycombe Wanderers owner Steve Hayes’ announcement that Wycombe Air Park was his preferred site for the complex during Wycombe District Council’s public consultation “was the straw that broke the camel’s back”.

The former High Wycombe mayor said he believes the stadium should not be funded by taxpayers and fears what impact the mooted development would have on his ward. He added he thought money raised from selling council land to pave the way for any development could be better used on other community projects. He said the stadium was not the only reason behind his decision to quit – citing personal reasons and “internal politics”.

The move that is likely to upset his fellow Conservative council members but Cllr Hayday believes “one or two other” councillors are also privately against the plans.

Cllr Hayday told the BFP this week he had not been able to vote against the proposals to use council funds for a feasibility study into the stadium as he was not a cabinet member, but said he had since voted against the plan in a Tory party meeting.

Following on from his open letter Cllr Hayday told the BFP he objected to the fact the clubs had announced they were “backing Booker” before the public consultation was over.

He said: “It was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

“The way it has been handled is the final straw for me – I think it’s time to give someone else a chance and devote my attention to my business and my family.

“I don’t see the benefit of a stadium from the clubs’ point of view or why the money should come from the taxpayer. I don’t feel I have the backing in the council to make my feelings known and I am not going to stand again.”

The Bucks Free Press broke the news that Cllr Hayday was stepping down to the Wycombe Conservative Association on Wednesday. Susan Hynard, secretary for the organisation, said the decision to stand down was purely Cllr Hayday’s decision.

She added: “I understand it [the stadium] was a group decision, backed by an overwhelming majority which I would have expected he was aware of – that’s the discipline of being part of a political party.” WDC leader Cllr Lesley Clarke would not comment on Cllr Hayday decision to stand down during the authority’s on-going public consultation. She urged residents to take part in the consultation before it closes next Friday.

Steve Hayes said this week: “The council’s proposed approach to the stadium is no different to that taken with other major projects. There will be some up front funding but this will be recouped from the revenue stream generated by the project, which will also directly contribute economic benefits to the town, provide much needed new sporting and educational facilities and of course provide a fantastic new facility to keep both clubs here at Wycombe.

“A similar approach was taken with other projects with great success, including of course with the Eden Centre which has generated 1,600 jobs and more than doubled footfall in the town. This is a genuinely unique opportunity to deliver major benefits for local people and it is right that the council is first consulting on the core issues.”