A Conservative councillor in Walsall, Cllr Zahid Ali, has pleaded guilty to drink driving. As a result he may have to resign from the West Midlands Police Authority. The Walsall Advertiser helpfully points out that the Code of Conduct for councillors includes a requirement that "Members should uphold the law." So should he resign as […]
Cllr John Fuller, the leader of South Norfolk District Council says heads should roll over the botched reorganisation of local government in his county. Just how badly does someone have to screw something up before they get fired? If you listen to Ministers talking about the ‘irresponsible’ private sector bankers or some hapless local authority […]
Extraordinary story in the Richmond Guardian that the Lib Dem-run Richmond upon Thames Council is seeking to refuse a Freedom of Information request in the grounds that disclosure of the information requested would invite "ridicule" of the Councils plans for a new River Centre. I would be interested to hear from Conservatives who are in […]
Among the items is that Lib Dem-run Cornwall Council has abandoned plans for a new logo. They spent £7,000 on a proposed new logo which resembled Don King’s hairstyle. But after huge protests that traditional the Cornish symbol of a shield with 15 golden bezants should not be abandoned the Council has backed down.
Apart from Haringey which has already been noted on this site, various other Council meetings are debating motions concerning Gaza. Oxford, Preston, Edinburgh. There are Councils in Northern Ireland where Sinn Fein councillors have tabled motions attacking Israel. Many will be tempted to engage in the debate have strong feelings on the matter raised. But […]
Cllr Timothy Passmore, leader of Mid-Suffolk District Council, responds to yesterday’s post about The Queen’s portrait being moved in the Council Chamber. Let me explain what has happened concerning the Queen’s portrait. We have recently refurbished the council buildings at no extra cost to the council taxpayer including the council chamber. During this process we […]
When Boris Johnson became Mayor of London he discovered that by a curious oversight his predecessor had failed to put up a picture of The Queen in City Hall and decided to rectify the situation. But what are we to make of Conservative-run Mid-Suffolk District Council relegating the picture of The Queen to allow prominence […]
Dartmouth Town Council in Devon is to continue saying prayers at its monthly meetings. Councillor Brian Broughton protested by listening to his iPod and had asked for the decision to be overturned. Should we have prayers at the start of Council meetings? I think so and wrote an article for The Guardian about it last […]
This issue includes pieces on mismanagement by Doncaster’s directly elected Mayor Martin Winter after Ofsted’s judged the Council’s Children’s Services Department "inadequate" with the deaths of seven children. It reminds reader of an earlier controversy involving Winter and the Glass Park Regeneration Project. A piece on Hackney (Britain’s worst Council) reports that they may miss […]
Tendring District Council is evidently a lively place. Labour councillor Ian Beckett (pictured) has just escaped a six mionth suspension after being found to have used violent and abusive language towards Cllr Dave Rutson of the Community Representatives Group after Cllr Rutson voted with the Conservatives on an issue. Cllr Beckett claims it was a […]
The Mirror this morning has a story about a Tory councillor in Kennet facing the chop after attending just two meeting in 15 months. Of course with 20,000 councillors this problem crops up from time to time and I’m not sure it merits a national news story. Rather more newsworthy is the similar attendance rate […]
In December, Harry called for the reinstatement of the Tory whip to Maria Gatland, the Tory councillor in Croydon who was revealed to have been a member of the IRA in the 1970s. This has happened today, according to the Croydon Guardian. Says Tory leader, Mike Fisher: "I am very pleased to be able to […]
Portsmouth councillor Lee Hunt has resigned from the Conservative Group. He says he was made to feel unwelcome because he refused to support the Conservative Parliamentary candidate, Flick Drummond. He says Flick Drummond isn’t local enough – but she and her family moved to Portsmouth nearly a year ago. What I find odd about this […]
The Local Government Information Unit are holding an "action learning set" (a conference? a course?) to encourage councillors who want to be really groovy dudes that they should join this amazing new thing called Facebook, which the young people are frightfully keen on. It seems to cost Councils £1,175 to send youth workers to this […]
London Assembly member Roger Evans helps to coach potential politicians on getting selected for Parliament. Here he warns how being a councillor can be a liability. Last month Eveleigh Moore-Dutton wrote a piece asking why more women councillors did not become MPs. As someone who coaches women in the selection process, I could think of […]