A borough councillor has announced an independent run for parliament while standing down as his group leader.

Councillor David Buckley of The Borough First Independents (tBfI) has revealed his intention to stand for the Windsor constituency at the forthcoming general election.

The independent grouping on Windsor and Maidenhead council has revealed councillor Geoff Hill replace him as leader.

Councillor Buckley told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I am extremely proud of everyone involved with The Borough First Independents, as it achieved so much with so little.

“I was generally heartbroken to make this huge decision after dedicating five years of my life to the movement to create a real alternative to party politics that are impacting everyone’s lives at every level.

“The Borough First Independents created a totally new way for residents to see a real alternative to party politics at a local level and I hope I leave, having helped support the platform for Independents.”

Councillor Buckley ran for the same parliamentary seat in 2019, finishing in fifth place with 508 votes. He had been leader of tBfI since 2020.

The next general election is widely expected to be held next year. The latest it can be held is January 2025.

He added: “It is and always was my belief that independents are the only hope for residents to get their voices back and stop the regressive culture that party politics inflicts onto our democracy.

“The current lack of care, motivation and capability of our current politicians at all levels stops any progression and we must not support party politics either directly or indirectly in my opinion.”

The Borough First Independents, which won seven seats in this year’s council election, are represented in the Liberal Democrat-led cabinet.

Councillor Hill, who is also the borough’s transport lead, said: “David Buckley has done a fantastic job of getting us where we are and leading us to seven seats.

“He’s worked extremely hard and we’re all very grateful for his input.”

The new leader will be joined by a top team consisting of John Webb as treasurer, councillor Alison Carpenter as secretary and Charles Hollingsworth as nominating officer.

Councillor Hill added: “We intend to make our presence even more well known than it already is.

“We’re looking to grow our membership, and you’ll see us out on the street next year. We intend to stick rigidly to our value of being independents.”

A group statement reads: “Councillor Buckley’s unwavering dedication and leadership have propelled tBfI to great success, including the recent election where the party won seven seats in the RBWM council chamber.”