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# Councillor resigns as school governor amid row over plan to close Lichfield leisure centre
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/councillor-resigns-as-school-governor-amid-row-over-plan-to-close-lichfield-leisure-centre/
- Published: 2019-07-19T13:25:52.000Z
- Updated: 2019-07-19T13:26:17.000Z
- Description: A Lichfield councillor has resigned from his role as a governor at a city school after a row over the future of the Friary Grange Leisure Centre.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Education, Politics, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 18:18, News

A Lichfield councillor has resigned from his role as a governor at a city school after a row over the future of the Friary Grange Leisure Centre.

![Jamie Checkland](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/jamie-checkland.jpg)

Jamie Checkland

Cllr Jamie Checkland had become [embroiled in the debate after speaking at a public meeting over plans to axe the leisure centre](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2019/07/16/chair-of-governors-says-the-friary-school-wants-its-facilities-back-from-closure-threatened-leisure-centre/) as part of a proposal to turn The Friary School into academy.

He had served as a governor at the school for around eight years, becoming chair of the governing body prior to his resignation.

The Conservative member for the Leomansley ward has also [apologised after breaking Lichfield District Council’s code of conduct](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2019/07/18/councillor-apologises-for-breaching-code-of-conduct-in-lichfield-district-council-debate-over-future-of-friary-grange-leisure-centre/) in a meeting over the planned leisure centre closure.

He said he hoped resigning as a governor would avoid any future conflict of interest concerns.

He said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the school.

“This step has been made to enable the school to continue to focus on the well-being and learning of the students.”