A new call has gone out for a Peterborough councillor to resign after being convicted of drinking and driving.

The appeal comes from North West Cambridgeshire MP Sam Carling who says a resignation is necessary to ‘rebuild public trust in politics.’

His call comes after independent Councillor Peter Reeve, who represents the Stanground South ward on Peterborough City Council, was disqualified from driving for 50 months on September 22 after pleading guilty to driving a motor vehicle when above the legal alcohol limit.

He was also given a 12-month community order by Peterborough magistrates during which he must complete 120 hours of unpaid work.

Cllr Reeve was elected as a Reform Party councillor but was suspended and now sits as an independent.

In an open letter, Mr Carling states: “I hope you will agree with me that it’s a duty on all of us to do what we can to rebuild public trust in politics.

"I therefore am writing to encourage you to think deeply about whether residents can really have confidence in a councillor - whose role is to build up communities and work on reducing local issues - when that councillor has contributed to those issues through criminal actions.

"I urge you to do the decent thing and now resign as a councillor."

Mr Carling says that he has also written to Reform's leader in Peterborough, Cllr Andrew O'Neil, asking for a commitment that Reform will not reinstate Cllr Reeve, and encouraging Reform councillors to join his call for Reeve to step down.

The letter follows a public statement from Cllr Shabina Qayyum, leader of the city council, also urging Cllr Reeve to stand down immediately.

However, Cllr Reeve told the Peterborough Telegraph on September 23 that he did not plan to resign.

He said that the local authority has clear rules about when a sitting councillor must resign and that he would follow those rules.

Under council regulations, a sitting councillor can only be removed from their role if they receive a prison sentence of three or more months (either suspended or immediate).

Cllr Reeve said: “While there is no excuse for breaking the law, the council has very clear rules about when a councillor should resign and I will be following those rules.”