TWO East Riding councillors have had their appeals against being deselected upheld. It means Lena Slater and Geraldine Mathieson are now back on an approved list of would-be Conservative candidates for next year's council elections.
The duo were originally deselected in their absence by a panel from their Haltemprice and Howden Conservative Association.
They had refused to attend, claiming the selection process being followed by the association had been flawed.
Now their appeals against deselection have been upheld by regional Conservative party officials after a special hearing.
Councillor Mathieson, who represents Cottingham North on East Riding Council, said: "I believe the people who heard our appeal decided to make sure that a wrong was put right.
"It was very clear to me from the facial expressions in the room that the majority of people present agreed with the decision to uphold the appeal.
"The reaction to the result really spoke volumes but there were a very small number of people who found it very difficult to conceal their hatred towards us.
"I am now looking forward to the selection process effectively starting all over again."
Both councillors left the ruling Tory group at County Hall last month after their deselection.
Cllr Mathieson said she had now joined the Independent group on the council although she remained a member of the Conservative Party.
Cllr Slater, who represents Cottingham South, said: "I am delighted, although I fully expected to win my appeal.
"I feel as if we have both been exonerated.
"I am just hoping to let the dust settle on all of this now and move on with things.
"It's unfortunate that it all ended up in a situation where we had no option but to make our opinions very clear on the selection process in the way we did.
"I certainly don't have any regrets over what we did because we had to make a stand."
Both councillors claimed officials from the Tory group at County Hall had tried to influence the outcome of the original selection process by making allegations against them.
They subsequently received support from deputy police and crime commissioner Paul Robinson who was a member of the association's selection panel.
In an email to association chairman David Whincup, he said: "Overall, I feel that the process was flawed and would not stand up to serious scrutiny."
The two Cottingham councillors will now go back on a shortlist of Conservative election candidates for the four available seats in the village.
A final decision is expected to be made by the Haltemprice and Howden Association's Cottingham branch.
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