A HAMPSHIRE councillor who kept his seat after taking a £180,000-a-year job in Saudi Arabia has resigned, claiming the role became “more demanding”.

Liberal Democrat group leader Paul Whittle pocketed his allowances at Fareham Borough Council despite living 4,000 miles away and working for the Saudi government.

Now he has quit with immediate effect after months of pressure from political rivals.

Rivals including Conservative council boss Sean Woodward turned on Mr Whittle in August 2014, telling residents he should be in Fareham East, not the Middle East.

A Fareham Lib Dems statement said: “During his six years as a councillor for Fareham East (town centre) ward, Paul has also been in full time employment.

“For more than a year these challenges have become more demanding and therefore Paul has decided the residents of Fareham East and Liberal Democrat group at the council will be better served by a very capable replacement nomination in Maryam Brady, who has been working alongside Katrina Trott and is a welcome ward partner.

“Paul has always strived to put the interests of Fareham East first. The council will be deprived of an excellent ward councillor whose goal was to ensure the role of the opposition was effective. We will miss his voice on the council but will value his continued advice.”

Mr Whittle started full-time at the Colleges of Excellence in Saudi capital Riyadh around the time of his re-election in May 2014 but said he attended important council meetings and responded to residents’ concerns.

His Fareham East ward will be contested in May 5’s borough elections.

Responding to the resignation, Cllr Woodward said: "Paul Whittle is absolutely correct when he says his "membership of the council is no longer appropriate." In fact him re-standing for election in May 2014 was not appropriate knowing he had just landed a full-time job in Saudi Arabia. His attendance at meetings over the last two years has been abysmal and the people who elected him have been very poorly served. Despite that he has drawn over £24,000 in allowances for doing next to nothing.

"I do feel sorry for Katrina Trott whose health has no doubt suffered by having to do the work of two councillors to make up for her absent colleague."