COUNCILLORS on both sides of the political spectrum agree Councillor Pat Blandamer has been doing a good job as Mayor of Gedling.
"She's been raising a lot of money for her charities," said Conservative councillor Sally Mason-Kempster.
And leader of the Labour group, John Clarke, echoed her views. "I think the mayor has been doing good work," he said.
But members of the Burton Joyce Conservative branch, have decided not to let her run as the party's candidate in Burton Joyce and Stoke Bardolph in May's local election – choosing two candidates in their forties instead.
"I don't know why they've done it," Mr Clarke said.
"But it doesn't happen very often. It's like taking the king off the throne while they're still on it."
Mrs Blandamer has also proved a popular mayor among some constituents. Doreen Leighton, 79, of Burton Joyce, said the mayor had been doing "her best for the party and the borough".
She added: "People have seemed to like her.
"I don't understand why she has been deselected.
"I don't know much about either of the new candidates.
"But I would not say Pat is too old. She's always energetic."
Mrs Blandamer, who is 72, believes she has been removed to make space for younger candidates.
"I would call that ageism," she said.
She added: "I have given many years of loyal service to the Conservative Party locally and I have been extremely proud to represent residents.
"This is a disgraceful selection process, which will embarrass the party."
"I was told that they had chosen 'the young ones' instead of myself."
Mrs Blandamer also said she had not been given the chance to appeal and had not received a valid reason why she was de-selected. "I do not believe that the constitutional rules have been followed throughout the process," she said.
Mrs Blandamer has now resigned from the party and is standing as an Independent candidate in Burton Joyce and Stoke Bardolph.
Conservative councillor Rod Kempster, 70, was interviewed to stand again as Conservative candidate in the Kingswell ward but was not chosen by the Gedling Conservative Association. The party has chosen two candidates in their thirties to stand instead.
Mr Kempster said his deselection "came as a complete shock" after almost 30 years as a councillor.
He said: "I never thought in my wildest dreams this would happen in Gedling.
"I'm heart-broken.
"The new candidates we've never even seen before. I cannot get my head round what's going off."
Councillor Wilfred Doe was interviewed as Tory candidate for the Bonington ward but was equally unsuccessful
He said he was "annoyed" at the decision but not surprised.
"I haven't got a clue why I was de-selected. No explanation was made.
"I'm 69, but that doesn't stop my head or mouth from working which is what you need to be a councillor."
He said he stood and won twice in his ward with a comfortable majority.
"I think I was deselected to bring in younger candidates," he added.
"But I think this is a risky strategy. There's a possibility these seats could be lost now.
"I'm thinking about resigning because of this."
John Parr, chairman of the Gedling Conservative Association, said the selection of candidates was carried out according to the rules.
He added: "We have got an ageing population and our future rests with younger candidates."
However, he said the selection had not been a case of "out with the old – in with the young".
"They have gone through a selection process and we have been very democratic," he added
"The ageism argument is completely unfounded. We have retained a large element of experienced, mature people and they are needed to help guide the younger candidates.
"It's a question of ability and how the selection committee wants things. It's not been down to age.
"But every business needs an injection of new blood every now and again.
"After going through the selection process, all councillors were contacted by me personally or by the chairman of their group to notify them about the decision.
"Councillor Blandamer was invited by the chairman of the Burton Joyce branch and myself to a private meeting where we might discuss everything over a cup of coffee or tea. But it was not accepted."
He also said people from a wide age group had shown a growing interest in the party, which the party needed to take notice of.
In total, four Conservative councillors have been deselected from their wards, but one is standing for a different ward.
Some of the more experienced councillors who are standing again as Tories include Councillors John Boot and Alan Bexon who are both in their seventies , and Councillor Wendy Golland who has served for 35 years.
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