Stephen Hodgson

Archive for May, 2009

Congratulations to Councillor Roy Brown on being elected mayor of Charnwood for 2009/2010.

What a shame some Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors chose the annual meeting of the council, which is usually reserved solely for the business of electing the new mayor and giving thanks to the outgoing mayor, to launch personal attacks on Conservative cabinet members.

Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors took the unusual step of putting down an amendment to replace some members of the Conservative cabinet with Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors, apparently forgetting that (i) the Conservatives on Charnwood Borough Council won a clear majority in the last election in 2007 and (ii) the annual meeting of council is traditionally a civic ceremony and, as such, it is an inappropriate meeting at which to launch political attacks.

The councillors putting down the amendment suggested that it was borne out of the perceived need for councillors to work in partnership, across party political divides, during the recession. Perhaps, if they are so keen on partnership working, they should have approached the Conservative administration before the meeting, rather than springing an amendment at the meeting just minutes after the new mayor had taken office. Or perhaps, perish the thought, some councillors were less interested in ‘partnership’ than they were in hijacking the council’s annual meeting for their own political purposes!

Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors made the argument that they had no choice but to make the amendment at the council’s annual meeting because this is the only council meeting in the year where such an amendment is possible. The Chief Executive made clear, at the request of one Liberal Democrat councillor, that a similar amendment or motion could have been made at any other council meeting in the year.

Needless to say, the amendment was defeated. Some Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors, who were clearly displeased with the amendment, chose to abstain from the vote.

Which brings me full circle to the election of the new mayor, Roy Brown. Not many mayors in Charnwood have to contend with heated debate, amendments and points of order in the first meeting of council that they chair, which is usually just a civic ceremony! Roy had to deal with all of these things and I have to say he did so with some style! Congratulations again to Roy on his election as mayor – if his first few hours in office are anything to go by, we can look forward to a great year with Roy as mayor.

Welcome to my blog.

I plan to use this website to air my views on local politics in Charnwood and Leicestershire and to share what’s happening at Charnwood Borough Council. I also plan to comment on other issues of interest to me from time to time, such as national politics, tax policy and technology.

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