THE ex-wife of a councillor serving his North-East constituents from a Caribbean island said last night: "You're better off without him."

Wear Valley district councillor Stephen Gregory went to ground yesterday after The Northern Echo revealed how he had moved from Bishop Auckland, in County Durham, to the Dominican Republic.

Local taxpayers are still footing the bill for his £4,500 annual allowance because he is entitled to it as long as he attends one meeting every six months.

Speaking exclusively to The Northern Echo yesterday, former wife Julie Gregory said she was pleased he had gone.

Mrs Gregory, who divorced the councillor more than five years ago, dismissed him as "a silly man".

The 37-year-old said: "He should never have been allowed to join Wear Valley District Council.

"Unfortunately, I spent ten years of marriage with him because of business ties and the children.

"Now I feel it is probably for the best that he leaves the country altogether."

The 47-year-old councillor is thought to have moved to the Dominican Republic to be with a woman he met on holiday in November.

He has been divorced twice and has four children - teenage boys from his first marriage and 11-year-old twins from the second.

Councillor and Mrs Gregory were partners in the family butchers business - which has been sold to fund the move overseas - and Mrs Gregory ran Retreat hair and beauty salon from the same town centre premises.

She said: "It will be no loss if we don't see him again. I am remarrying next year."

Coun Gregory faced continued condemnation last night.

Council leader Olive Brown said: "The situation is both ridiculous and very worrying.

"We were very surprised to hear he had gone to another country. It's a dreadful situation.

"He is bringing local government into disrepute by his actions."

Coun Gregory was unavailable for comment last night.