A Conservative councillor has quit the party following criticism of local branch leadership and its choice of candidate for an upcoming by-election.

Cllr Russell Boam, who represents the Valley ward on North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC), has resigned from his Conservative seat after criticising the leadership of North West Leicestershire Conservative Association.

In a letter seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Cllr Boam said his decision was based on the "current leadership" of the North West Leicestershire Conservative branch and "could not continue" under the branch's current "management style" and "did not wish to be associated with [its] approach to local governance".

Speaking to the LDRS, Cllr Boam said he was "not able to work" with the current Leicestershire County Councillor Craig Smith, and criticised him and local Conservative leaders for selecting him as a by-election candidate for an upcoming election.

The LDRS understands Cllr Smith is set to be the Conservative candidate in the upcoming Long Whatton and Diseworth by-election, following the death of Nicholas Rushton.

Cllr Boam added: "I'm not happy with the way he (Cllr Smith) runs things and the way he operates it. I can't work with him or with him standing as a candidate in Long Whatton and Diseworth.

"It doesn't sit very well with me when it's not anywhere near where he lives [The selection] was the final straw."

Cllr Boam said he sat down with the Conservative leader of NWLDC, Cllr Richard Blunt, who "understood his views".

He also confirmed that he will continue to support the council's alliance coalition as an independent.

The LDRS asked Cllr Boam if he was planning to potentially defect to another party, but said "it would depend" on the results of the upcoming by-election.

He added: "Things are so finely balanced at North West Leicestershire, and things could change after this by-election.

"The best thing for me was to get away from the party whilst the by-election is going on."

The LDRS spoke to Keith Merrie, chairman of the North West Leicestershire Conservative Association, who said the branch was "perfectly happy" with the way things were being run and clarified that Cllr Smith was not in charge of the North West Leicestershire branch.

He added: "The only person who is not happy is Cllr Boam.

"Russell is his own man, and he's free to say whatever he says, but the association followed all the rules to get an emergency candidate following the death of Councillor Rushton.

"We opted to go for Craig, and he was duly elected and went through the vetting process, and everything was done above board.

"Some people in life are just not happy with the decisions that are made.

"I've got nothing against Russell, he's a good guy. But at the end of the day, you can please most of the people most of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time".

Phil King, area chairman of Leicester and Leicestershire Conservatives, called Cllr Smith a "highly effective Conservative councillor" and said the Conservatives will "continue concentrating on the issues that actually matter to the people across North West Leicestershire".

A by-election for the Long Whatton and Diseworth seat will take place on Thursday, October 1, with the council confirming that anyone wishing to stand for election must give their nomination papers by 4pm on Friday, September 4.

The LDRS contacted Cllr Smith who clarified he did not "run" the local Conservative Association before being forwarded to Cllr Merrie.