Council leader fights for career after vote of no confidence (From Thurrock Gazette)

Council leader fights for career after vote of no confidence

3:10pm Tuesday 16th February 2010

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THURROCK Council’s leader is fighting for his political career after a Tory councillor tabled a motion of no confidence against him.

Cllr Garry Hague says despite the motion submitted cllr Anne Cheale, Tory leader of the council until May 2006, he is “committed to playing a key role in driving forward Thurrock Council’s improvement journey and its role in ensuring that Thurrock realises it full potential.”

Mr Hague added: “I am extremely disappointed by this action, as is the Conservative Party. I have led Thurrock Council over the past year and it is making positive progress with many exciting projects for the benefit of residents in the pipeline.

“Only recently The Audit Commission rated Thurrock as an improving council, and it is one of the fastest improving councils in the country. Thurrock is going forward not backwards.”

The motion to propose a vote of no confidence was made official Tuesday morning when the full council agenda was published online.

Mrs Cheale’s motion states- “That this council has no confidence in the ability of Councillor Hague to perform the duties and to undertake the responsibilities of the leader of the council and also those duties and responsibilities of the portfolio holder for planning.”

The motion will be heard at the next full council on Wednesday February 24.

She is reportedly annoyed as she feels Mr Hague is allowing council officers to run the show instead of elected members.

Tensions between councillors and council officers at the authority have been running high for some time.

This did not escape the notice of the Audit Commission, which, after an inspection last year reported: “There is a fundamental breakdown of relationships between some officers and members, adversely affecting the capacity and running of the council.”

Most recently, members of the council’s planning committee were savaged in a public report by council officers, who sought legal advice after members granted planning permission for two applications on the green belt against officer recommendation.

The planning committee, which Mrs Cheale sits on, was referred to members as “mis-directed” and their decision making “flawed”.

This is the second time in under a year the Tory party has faced a leadership crisis.

In March 2009 Mrs Cheale’s successor cllr Terry Hipsey, shocked the council chamber by quiting as leader and defecting to the Labour party.

In his speech Mr Hipsey said he had tired of trying to keep the “dysfunctional” group of Tories together.

Labour member cllr Carl Morris said: “This most recent attempted coup just confirms that Thurrock Tories on the council are in total disarray and it is distracting from the important business of delivering top quality services for local residents.

"Coming on the back of last year's defection to Labour of their former Council Leader, this shows a Tory Party that pays more attention to bitter internal disputes than it does to helping Thurrock residents.”

Thurrock Council is currently made up 23 Conservatives, 23 Labour, two Independents and BNP councillor.

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