THE new national political alliance between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats seems to count for little in Warrington.
A row erupted at a council’s annual meeting after a Liberal Democrat was voted in as deputy chairman in preference to a Conservative with a 100 per cent attendance record.
Members of Stockton Heath Parish Council elected Lib Dem Celia Jordan (pictured) as deputy chairman – which effectively means she will become chairman next year.
Last year’s deputy, Graham Roughsedge, Independent, was elected chairman in succession to Lib Dem Peter Walker.
Only two names were put forward to be the new deputy – Coun Jordan and Tory Stephen Taylor.
The council voted 7-2 in favour of Coun Jordan – provoking an outburst from a member of the public, local campaigner Patrick Mullee.
He complained that as both Coun Jordan and Coun Roughsedge had been chairman in recent years there was effectively “no change.”
“There is a lot of fresh blood on the council – other people should be given a chance,” he said.
Mr Mullee then walked out of the meeting but later, Green Party councillor Robin Wilson raised the matter again.
He said party politics should have no place on parish councils.
Referring to a report on attendance, he noted that only two members – Coun Taylor and Coun Tudor Pole – had 100 per cent attendance records.
He said Coun Taylor had done a lot of work on local issues and had campaigned to improve Ackers Pits and for public toilets in the village.
Members should have given more consideration to his nomination for deputy chairman.
“It is a great shame we are snubbing people who want to serve this council. This was a great opportunity to give Coun Taylor a chance to play a part in the council,” he said.
“If this is to do with party politics, I don’t think it is appropriate.”
Coun Wilson said he had no criticism of Coun Jordan, who had a long career in politics and had held many positions of office. But “new blood” was needed.
He challenged members: “Can anyone explain this to me, or disagree with me?”
There was no response from Liberal Democrat members but Coun Roughsedge pointed out that he was an Independent.
Coun Helen Dutton, Labour said: “I have no axe to grind. I just made a choice.”
Tory-Lib Dem storm in council
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
11 Comments
Common sense doesn’t apply where the Lib-Dems are concerned.
It is all about power at any cost, but don’t expect any action to get things done.
The sad part about it, is that people believe what they say and keep voting them in. They need to look beyond the smiling face and sympathetic words and see what is really there.
It just shows that you cannot trust the Liberal Democrats, there are like a cancer that is spreading disease if they dont get there own way.
What example and encouragement does it give to any person who wants to start at the grass roots of Politics, if this is the attitude of experienced Councillors
thanks silver surfer, I really wonder how they expect others/new members to fully engage with the work required to run the parish council? this has just become a closed shop, perhaps they are frightened by me, I just don’t get it. I have continually extended an olive branch, only to find it mystically turn into a serpent behind my back. I hope this is not a microcosm of the national power sharing agreement, otherwise we are all in trouble! I wouldn’t mind, but having lobbied council collegues and gained their support, it feels like a real betrayal only to find that the parcel has been passed again. I thank the 2 members who did choose to support me.
Its about time some of these old fossils on the Stockton Heath Parish Council stepped aside and let some younger fresh blood in. Perhaps then issues that are well overdue of being addressed can finally be resolved. Come re – election time there will be an ocean of blue in your wards Councillors beware !!
We need to distance ourselves from the Liberal Democrats not only on The Parish Councils but on the Borough Council also. They clearly cannot be trusted to be upfront and honest with other Councillors never mind the Public, the latest election Campaign proved that, nothing but a veil of deceit and lies.
I don’t believe that party politics should come into play on parish councils, unfortunately in Stockton Heath it does to an extent that over-rides all other considerations. That council has been operating for years in a manner akin to a tea party in a retirement home,(except that the councillors are not as pleasant to visitors!)
Their resistance to new younger councillors and sad graspings for power are due to their fear of being forced out of their comfortable apathy into actually doing something!! Every year for as long as I can remember Celia Jordan has said the same things about the same issues and made the same useless statements, all ending with “something needs to be done!” Yet in all those years she has never actually done much, if in fact anything to resolve these longstanding problems.
The younger members seem far more enthusiasic, energetic and effective, yet their progress is being blocked by those who don’t actually do anything but will not let go!
Although it appears at these early stages that a Con/Lib Dem coalition might work Nationally ? There is no doubt that locally it is a non starter, with the dirty tricks the Local Lib Dems will stoop so low too, to secure power. They should be ashamed of themselves the way they have treated the Constituents of Warrington over the last 3 years regarding issues that have affected the citizens of Warrington,
The headline “Tory -Lib Dem storm in Council” was rather misleading, it gave the impression that something important was taking place in Warrington.
Eagle
it is all relative, importance is a state of mind! The main problem as I see it, is that warrington has become an authority led by the officers, rather than by the council. we need some strong elected leadership.
Stockton Heath’s Parish Council is virtually run the Lib Dems who like the rest of their party in Warrington relentlessy tow the party line, sick together and vote accordingly regardless. Itt is no surprise to me that they voted in the way they did. A quick checked of the PC makeup shows the Parish Council is made up of….. 7 Lib Dems, 2 Conservatives, 1 Labour (co-opted on and not voted in by the public), 1 Green, 1 Independant and 1 Sharc. Ineviatable outcome. In my opinion it is far better to be a local councillor who actually DOES do something for the local community than to be one who just likes to wear some bling, use a stopwatch and read out a pre written adenda compiled by a hard working clerk….. Those who do the most know who they are whilst those who simply ‘pretend’ and sit on their backsides enjoying the prefix of ‘Cllr’ before their names can just relax and wait in anticipation for their next social club meeting 🙁
Wow, so different from non-political Walton PC. They were quite happy to pass a motion deploring any potential loss of publicly accessible land in Walton Gardens. Sounds as if Stockton Heath wouldn’t be able to protect the interests of the local people. We have had a rather sad email back from your ‘new’ deputy chairman.
Save Walton Gardens Campaign http://www.savewaltongardens.co.uk