THE stay-away councillor who provoked a national outcry after it was revealed he was serving his constituents from a Caribbean island 4,500 miles away resigned yesterday.

Stephen Gregory claimed hundreds of pounds in allowances for being a councillor in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, even though his new home was in the Dominican Republic.

His case provoked calls for a change in the laws governing local councils after it was revealed by The Northern Echo earlier this year.

Yesterday, he arrived early at Wear Valley District Council, in Crook, to hand in his resignation.

Council leader Councillor Olive Brown said: "He decided to resign because it was not possible to undertake the responsibilities of a councillor any longer as business both here and in the Caribbean was very time-consuming.

"I'm relieved to receive his resignation. It's better than being kept guessing for months."

Speaking exclusively to The Northern Echo last night, Mr Gregory apologised to people in the Bishop Auckland town centre ward.

He said: "For those who feel I have let them down, I can only say I'm sorry."

He blamed the weather as the reason why constituents had been unable to contact him by phone.

He said: "For those that tried to contact me and didn't get through, I apologise, but it wasn't my fault. We had two tropical storms and the Caribbean was without power for a long time, which was beyond my control.

"For five years I was a hard-working councillor and helped the town a lot. People would come to me with issues in my free or work time and I always got straight on the phone to the council and sorted out the problems.

"A lot of people have criticised me for not going to meetings, but I never went to that many when I was here because I preferred to get on the phone and sort things straight away than waiting to bring it up at a meeting.

"I hope people remember the five good years, rather than the few months of uncertainty."

The independent councillor, who was elected in 1999 as a Liberal Democrat, has received a weekly allowance of £89.08 throughout the saga.

The 47-year-old first visited the Dominican Republic in January, when he met girlfriend Xiomara Hanandez.

He returned to the island in March and June to start an agricultural plant hire business and set up a new life with Ms Hanandez.

The former butcher sold his business in Bishop Auckland and moved to the island in July.

Councillors must attend at least one meeting every six months, unless there is a good reason for their absence. Mr Gregory's last chance to do so before his January 7 deadline was yesterday.

To avoid a showdown with critics, he handed in his resignation at Crook Civic Centre reception desk at what he said was his first opportunity.

He said: "I'd been in the country a few hours and just wanted an end to it all, so tendered my resignation in a letter.

"In July I didn't realise I was going to be out in the Caribbean until December, I thought I'd visit in October and catch up with things then.

"My business out there, agricultural plant hire, is in its infancy and has taken longer to set away than I anticipated."

Councillor Chris Foote Wood, leader of the LibDem opposition, said: "I'm glad he has resigned, better late then never. What he has done is wrong but it is quite legal. But it is not just him as some other councillors fail to attend meetings.