A parish councillor who was disqualified from office over a previous criminal conviction has apologised to residents.

Alex Slater was removed from Hazlemere Parish Council last month after they learned the Liberal Democrat had broken election rules by standing as a councillor following a conviction in 2006.

Councillor Slater, who still sits on Wycombe District Council, took to his blog and has now spoken of the “driving offences” which reputedly ruled him out of parish council eligibility.

He said: “I am extremely sorry for disappointing the people of Hazlemere.

“When I was younger my mother died after struggling for a number of years will illness and I made some very bad decisions around this time.

“I committed driving offences and I deeply regret what I did and buried my head in the sand when standing for election to the parish council.

“I am heartbroken that my mistakes have led me to losing the privileged position of representing my local residents on the parish council.

“I would like to assure everyone that I will be working even harder to represent Hazlemere on the district council and will continue to speak up for my local residents.”

Last month, it was revealed he had been disqualified from office in relation to an act of law which states you cannot stand for office within five years of receiving a sentence (including suspended) of more than three months.

Although his exact sentencing cannot be confirmed, it is understood he was convicted in July 2006 and was then elected in May 2011 – just months before he was legally allowed to do so.

He does, however, remain a Hazlemere South representative on the district council following his election in November 2011.

Cllr Brian Pearce, a Ukip representative for Booker and Cressex, has also shown his support to Cllr Slater this week.

He said: “Alex is in a political party as far removed from my political aspect as you can get, particularly our views on the European Union.

“I believe Alex is a very hardworking councillor in Wycombe District.

“He cares passionately about his constituency and ward. He goes to as many meetings as he possibly could, sometimes as just an observer, so that he can keep abreast of current situations and also to look at the bigger picture of Wycombe district as a whole.

“It is a pity there are not more councillors that have this dedication. Some councillors only go to the bare minimum of meetings that they have to.

“There are many rumours about how Alex has broken the law. I believe he has been silly, reckless and stupid, however I was very glad to read that the Lib Dems will continue to support him.

“I am hoping that the Lib Dems will select him to represent Hazlemere South in the forthcoming election, and then it will be up to the electorate to decide if Alex is a fit and proper person to be a councillor.”

He added that he is not in any way condoning Alex's action.