General Discussion
Sorry should read Mayoress, also the link did not appear, so hope this one works.
http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/Mayor-wife-quit-council-tit-tat/story-16062609-detail/story.html
Thanks for this. Perhaps I should create a new party in time for next Teignmouth elections. I would suggest the CFC party (Complete F* Chaos) and I would personally guarantee to the electors that we would cause it.
Alternatively, I can continue to vote Sodemall.
On second thoughts, I shall abandon the CFC idea. It would be difficult to deliver on a promise to cause more chaos than the incumbents in a lot of town councils.
I also thought that it sounded familiar when I read the story in Saturday's paper. I find it so sad that party politics is so influential at town council level. The political parties were comprehensively ousted in Cullompton, and the rump of tories left behind should have allowed the independants to get on with putting right the wrongs that years of party political control had caused. I hope that lessons are learnt in Dawlish, and that the elected independents are allowed to get on with reversing the years of neglect that it's obvious that the tories and lib dems were happy to wreak on the town. As for the Freedom Of Information requests referred to in that article, I can't be alone in wondering what benefits these bring and at what cost to taxpayers. Maybe the tories in national government will bring them to an end?
But, Nelson, nothing in the report suggests that it is just Tories that are causing the problems in Cullompton (nor otherwise) and as the two councillors that have resigned are independent then it's not obvious what their political leanings are. It may be old/new guard falling out or it may be a touch of in-fighting which is what has been happening in Dawlish causing the deputy mayor to resign.
Difficult to know without sitting in on meetings, reading emails, over-hearing conversations etc but what is apparent is that Dawlish is not unique! It has also been reported recently that Brixham has been having issues over asset transferring and with their desire to have a new town hall....
If only the leading so called VFD independents in Dawlish were independent. New Labour in disguise hiding behind a future Conservative mayor with a vow of silence and no comment towards the public.
If only someone with no vested interests would put themselves forward to be co-opted onto the town council...
Several did put themselves forward the last time, but VFD having the majority co-opted a new one of their own.
Oh yes, I seem to recall, now that you've reminded me, that someone with no party political allegiance was co-opted onto the Town Council after that paper candidate put up by the Tories got elected at the ballot but then immediately resigned. You could never imagine a Tory-controlled council co-opting an independently-minded candidate, could you?
I am sure you will or somone will correct me if I am wrong, but wasnt it a VFD that immediately resigned ??
Ah sorry, my Googling failed me. The Tory paper candidate resignation only 2 weeks after winning at the ballot box, was followed by a by-election. The co-opting that I mis-read about was after a much later resignation by an independent. Apologies for the inaccuracy.
I think what happened was that a tory resigned almost immediately after being elected and that she was replaced, via a by- election, by a VfD candidate
Then, some months later, conservative councillor Graham Price resigned from the town council, and given that no-one called a by-election, a co-option took place whereby a VfD candidate replaced Cllr Price.
Anyone know what's happening about the present vacancy at the town council? Is it to be filled via a by-election or a co-option?