DETERIORATING health has forced veteran New Addington councillor George Ayres to announce he will not be standing in next year's council elections.
Councillor Ayres, who is 68, said his decision was disappointing because he still had an agenda to complete, particularly his fight for more democracy on the estate by creating a community council.
It is still likely the idea will form part of Labour's manifesto going into the elections.
But Cllr Ayres said: "The main reason for standing down is that my health has deteriorated over the past four years and I don't think I have capacity to do the job in the way I would want to for another four years.
"It is not in my character to do things if I cannot give everything to the job."
Cllr Ayres was elected to the council in 2006 when the Tories regained control of the council from Labour.
