General Discussion
Cllr Wrigley is busy on his social media, trying to convince anyone who still bothers with voting that he and his Lib Dem party are part of the solution in ridding the country of the nasty Tories.
This time he turns to the NY Times and an article which conveniently neglects to mention that Cameron's Tory government which was elected in 2010 only got into power because of the Lib Dems.
Wrigley fails to mention the coalition government and his party's role in introducing the policy of austerity that has absolutely screwed up the country, as described in the NY Times article.
From 2010 to 2015 responsibility for the policy or program of austerity is on the Lib Dems and not just the Tories.
Everything you read below may have been very different if Clegg and the Lib Dems didn't side with the Tories in 2010 and gave them the keys to No 10.
Quite frankly the Lib Dems are untrustworthy, spin doctors who take no responsibility for their failings from the corrupt District Council they run to Ed Davey's role in the Post Office Scandal and Wrigley is among the worst.
We need to be rid of district councils like Teignbridge. They are an unessessary level of local authority that the tax payer cannot afford. The town council should have local responsibility reporting directly to the county council. As for cllr Wrigley the party he stands for isent important his only goal is to become our MP ousting Anne Marie Morris in reality he would be better placed standing as a conservative in order to achieve this.
I agree that we should be rid of district councils. Once we elect Town Cllrs there should be a further election to select which of them represent the town at county level. And these Cllrs must refer back to the town council, rather than making decisions unilaterally. The current system where town councils are basically overuled by District Cllrs who don't represent or live anywhere near the town doesn't work, in fact it's open to corruption and a waste of taxpayers money.
I also fail to see how Dawlish Town Council can hold Teignbridge District Council to account when 5 Lib Dem Town Cllrs are also District Cllrs. In planning they recently had a shortage of Cllrs on the Town Council Planning Committee, not because of a lack of Cllrs, but because the Lib Dems, Wrigley, Goodman-Bradbury, etc could not vote given a conflict of interest - they are also on the District Council Planning Committee. So the town committee meetings weren't quorate. I doubt the opposite would ever happen; i.e. these Cllrs abstaining from voting at District level planning because they're Town Council planning committee members too. Then again Cllrs at District level get 'expenses' and yet more £1000s for being on committees, whereas town Cllrs get nothing.
Then there's the corruption in 50% of local councils on planning. It makes a mockery of democracy and accountability. Plus how can men like Wrigley feasible fulfil the roles of Town, District and County Cllr, plus run a business and fit in so much election campaigning? There's no way he meet the expected/required hours linked to each role by the local government authority.
And yes I agree about Wrigley's sole objective; becoming MP. though where isn't so important to him. In 2017 he was briefly the candidate for Torridge, despite having never lived there. The Lib Dem party is just a stepping stone, a means to an end.
Only people who have forgotten the Tory-Lib Dem coalition in 2010-2015 and/or are oblivious of Wrigley and the Lib Dem's partnership with the Tories in the last Teignbridge administration )which seems to continue today in relation to the Queen St and Alex Theatre disasters and over-development and ruination of Dawlish and other towns) still think there's any difference between the two parties.
A local run Lib Dem council in england are planning to introduce a red card system so that when a councillor needs to leave the chamber he/she holds up the card. This is intended when a councillor feels under stress or upset about the proceedings.They then can go into a room and do breathing exercises or sip cool water.This is not an april fool story but in todays edition of the daily mail.
Honest to God you could'nt make it up with this party.
Wymondham Town Council in Norfolk and their red card system, reported elsewhere and not just in the Daily Mail.
Obviously the likes of GB News, the Daily Mail and the Telegraph are going to use it against the Lib Dems and accuse them of being snowflakes 'woke', etc.
It reports a Green Councillor having a 'psychiatric emergency' after a Tory Councillor's resignation speech where he claimed they'd achieved nothing. I'm all for greater awareness and understanding of mental health and inclusivity, but people entering or involved in politics do need to reflect whether they're suited to their role and that does include current health conditions. Not that the egotists, sociopaths, narcissists in our local Councils ever reflect on anything, let alone whether they're suitable or in posession of a moral compass.
Here in Teignbridge the Lib Dems don't really give a damn about mental health having breached an opposition Cllr's human rights over a 3 year period in what was a faux investigation into his conduct, affecting him and his family. He was vindicated when the Local government Ombudsman found Lib Dem run Teignbridge District Council to be at fault in January 2023. The Council has not implemented the Ombudsman's recommendations under Wrigley.
Former Dawlish Councillor Gary Taylor should've received more than a red card when he physically assaulted another opposition Cllr in 2020, yet he was moved to what was considered a safe seat in Kenton/Starcross. Thankfully he was not re-levcted as Town Cllr in Dawlish.
A complaint from former Police Superintendent Jane Taylor into elder abuse, misogeny, sexism, intimidation and bullying in Teignbridge District Council was never investigated, the Lib Dems simply ignore or bury anything that portrays them negatively or questions their authority, ethics, conduct, commitment to safeguarding and wellbeing.
Still the mental health angle represents an opportunity to silence critics and evade scrutiny, so I could see Wrigley and co implementing this in TDC.