Update 20th May 2010: At the Annual meeting last night Tom Huish, Independent Cllr for Blaenavon was nominated by The Labour Leader for Deputy Mayor. He was elected by 28 votes to 16, the other candidate being conservative Margaret Pead.
The AGM of Torfaen CBC will be held on the 19th of May, at 5pm and should prove interesting.
Nye James is retiring as Mayor. It is usual for a retiring Mayor to be given a position of extra responsibility by the leader but the rumour from the ranks is that he will be left out in the cold, having been a bit of a loose cannon over the last year (all to his credit I think, but he does get a bit confused at times).
Bob Jones, labour member for Upper Cwmbran is taking over and he is apparently a bit apprehensive about the role. It is a much more difficult job now, with a real opposition, than in previous times.
So who is going to be deputy Mayor? This has a Special Responsibility Allowance of (SRA) of a mere £5534 so none of the cabinet are going to accept that as their current allowance is £13,839. Similarly those labour members with scrutiny chairs get £8,304 SRA, as do the Chairs of Planning and Licensing, so they won't be happy with a reduction.
So who is left out of the labour members who is likely to accept the position of Deputy Mayor?
No-One!
In fact to be offered the position of Deputy Mayor this time or last time will be or indeed was AN INSULT, not an honour it might appear. In a stretched labour coalition you don't put your best troops in the firing line!
So the labour leader might have no other solution than to offer the post to an opposition member. If he does I am sure he will make out that he is doing it in the interests of democracy and listening to the people but WE will know better. Of course it will do no harm to democracy if the mayor in one years time is not from the leading group.
What are the other possibilities? Buy some more labour support from the opposition group like he did after the last election? Possibly, I am sure there are a few more there who will bend their principles for the extra cash. What about Alistair Cunnington or Maria Graham for Mayor? Who knows?
Interesting times (all information gratefully received).
Monday 4 May 2009
Who will be Deputy Mayor?
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14 comments:
I have to agree with you. In previous years it would be a honour to be chosen as Mayor. The Labour Group had many bodies to choose from then. Things are so different now. Their dwindled numbers have left them in a predicament. Other than upsetting a Labour or Plaid member, they have very few options.
1. Force (whip) a Labour Councillor to accept Deputy position & a drop in pay.
2. Dangle the carrot to members of the Opposition. A People's Voice Councillor is now unemployed. Perhaps he will take the job? Or what about the recent Resignation by Tom Huish from the Independents? Has he been bought??
We will see on May 19th!
If anyone other than one of the labour group (including Plaid and the two other whats its) accepts the Deputy Mayor nomination without the full support of the majority of opposition councillors then their motives must be questioned and it will be another very sad day for Democracy in Torfaen. Money talks or does money buy silence?
Can the opposition not put up a non-controversial candidate now and pre-empt a labour fudge? Or maybe nominate Fred Wildgust for Deputy Mayor, that would introduce a bit interest in the Chamber!
Has anyone asked Tom Huish why he has resigned and what it is he is resigning from?
Councillors have today recieved an invitation to the inuguaration of Cllr Bob Jones as Mayor.
Bit of a presumption isn't it?
Bob Wellington is obviously confident that he has it in the bag again this year. Does this mean the famous 5 are doing it again? After all their hype about changing things from the inside! They have done nothing, other than side with Labour to secure their ongoing extra pay!!
This invitation demonstrates Bob the Boots arrogance and total disregard for democracy and the wishes of the people of Torfaen. Shame on him, shame on the famous five and shame on all the labour councillors for voting to keep such a despot in power.
The Plaid Councillors and the two Independents supporting Labour clearly implied to me just after the May 08 election that they were as keen to see change as the rest of the non-labour councillors but they had taken their positions as a stop-gap measure to "safeguard essential services" etc.
They are in a unique position to bring about this change but they have done nothing yet except slavishly follow the (labour) party line.
Is this the first indication that they will do nothing to upset the status quo for a further year?
If you thought the retiring Mayor got a bit confused and that council meetings got a bit out of hand, you ain't seen nothing yet!
Leading labour councillors were very critical of the retiring Mayor and all of them are concerned about the ability of the new one, including the man himself!
And to top the arrogance, Councillors have today recieved an invitation to the Official Inauguration at St Gabriels Church. RSVP by 15th May (4 days before the vote on who is Mayor!!!)
Has councillor Huish left the Independent group because he feels to remain would otherwise jeopardise his being invited by the labour leader to join him in further stage managed photo shoots, and a mention in Torfaen talks. I feel very few outside the labour group get to have this privilege there must be a very good reason for this. Does the labour group feel he is something special, show potential and is therefore worth nurturing.
Although it is claimed money is the root of all evil, most people do have the desire for money but I believe the majority can and do manage and adhere to what is considered morally acceptable.
I feel it is only the tiny minority that are weak have very little backbone and succumb to excessive desires, they incapable of resisting the temptation that money offers, this type of individual has such an uncontrollable obsession that they are no longer capable of exercising rational behaviour rather than be blamed they should be pitied. Obsessions of this magnitude are a form of illness.
It would be incredibly hypocritical of Tom Huish if he did take the position of Deputy Mayor at the invitation of Bob Wellington, who is, after all, the master of party politics and controlling votes.
Can you really believe that not a single one contolling group had doubts about voting for the recent payrise. All of them aren't that insensitive to peoples feelings. However they dare not risk losing their extra allowances and Bob controls those. As easy as that!
Argus article cash row:
Well the labour Government loves it's spin and now more than ever they we will certainly need to spin.
Some of the pathetically ridiculous explanations witnessed in both the press and on the television as to why they had to claim certain items and the ceaseless reference to that it is all done within the regulations is sickening.
The laughable tough talk, changes to the system must be made, why now when they must have known for years if it was ever exposed the system could be seen as being open to abuse, nothing would have changed or even mentioned if it had not been exposed,
For a set of individuals that have such an excessively high opinion of themselves, is there no one that can come up with anything that is remotely credible, they must view the electorate as a bunch of uneducated morons.
As for our member of Parliaments water being to hot, lucky man, there are those amongst us who in the winter cannot even afford to put the heating on let alone able to afford more than £3000 for a new boiler, that certainly is true for the ever increasing number of people living in Wales who are now Facing or actually living in poverty.
The comments made by the Leader of Torfaen Council in the article are no less than one would expect from a close friend and colleague who has himself, in such a very short space of time confirmed to the voter that he has a real passion for money.
As to the claim of not breaking any regulations, they are so lax, they are virtually impossible to breach so of course Mr Murphy's claim, as would all others be approved, let us now show, if that is possible, some honesty, and admit that the only reason it is necessary to check with the fees office is because a claimant must be seen by the public to be doing the right and honourable thing, it is however pointless, it is a total waste of time and money seeking advice whilst these ludicrous regulations remain in force.
Because of the revelation of expenses I feel sure the lavatory roll holder we paid for, for Mr Murphy has recently more than come into its own, unless when Mr Murphy realised just what was to be published, he unfortunately wasn't quick enough and so didn't quite make it.
Torfaen Liberal democrat Councillor Veronica German said: the system allows Paul Murphy to make claims in order to make sure he is living in a safe and suitable environment yes a £35 Toilet roll holder would certainly guarantee that.
You wonder why a Liberal Democrat would ever come to the defence of a labour MP? just consider, Ms German probably thought of this whilst travelling the few miles down the Motorway from Torfaen to the second home to have a quiet weekend away from it all, perhaps to read a book, watch a video or a DVD on a Television purchased within the regulations.
And then a little shopping ? The second home curtains are looking awfully drab. you may then consider perhaps there is a reason for Ms German assisting our Mr Paul Murphy MP. To justify his expenses.
An article in the Argus May 7 2009
Council praised:
excellence on consultation exercise.
A spokesman for Torfaen council said the purpose of the consultation was not to help decide whether or not to switch off the lights, of course not that had already been decided ,but to give to give residents the chance to have their say about how the decision to turn them of was implemented? Just what sort of consultation is that?
What a complete and utter waste of time and money how on earth the council got any praise let alone national is astounding charter mark must have been going through a very lean period with very little to justify its existence because this really is scraping the bottom of the barrel it is so unthinkable you could be forgiven for believing charter mark is one of our councillors memberships of outside bodies.
On reflection how would charter mark have known, they as it now seems know very little about Torfaen CBC. so they would justifiably have been of the opinion Torfaen council believed in democracy, and so unfortunately would have believed Torfaen were serious, not just going through the motions.
Why on earth was good money and time wasted on such a meaningless, ludicrous consultation that was going to have no affect whatsoever on the outcome is unbelievable. If you were trying to impress your constituents I feel there is now so little trust left in the council you have completely wasted your time and effort.
Twenty public exhibitions if the rest were the same as that held at the power station Cwmbran, two very small screen laptops and you had to wait your turn, you call that an exhibition? I call that a joke, no to be perfectly honest it was a fiasco,
The councils have your say on street lighting? as the saying goes, the horse has already bolted so why bother closing the stable door.
I do realise what I am about to write will not be easily understood by the majority of the ruling group and possibly unpalatable to the few who do, but I still hope those of you who have the ability. will explain it to your colleagues.
Because the AGM. Is fast approaching and to rule out any significant changes, do you feel the leader of the council, your shepherd, will have already been to market and purchased new stock. it is of the utmost importance to him that his flock number remains at or if possible above its present level. I did see him in one of the editions of the Torfaen Talks he was in Blaenavon, was he there looking to secure his future? Holding what may have been a staff or was it his crook? At the moment it has slipped my memory as to who he was with, perhaps an event at the AGM will jog my memory.
It seems strange not having met them that I feel I know the Torfaen Labour Councillors personally.
In the past 12 months I have accumulated many Torfaen council publications, in these there are many labour councillors photographs, some of which are from stage managed photo shoots. These councillors names are also mentioned in these publications no less than 200 times? I wonder if by a concerted effort the total will reach 1000 before the next local election purdah period?
I find there is very little mention of opposition members in any of the Torfaen council publications, therefore there is a very considerable imbalance in those that are brought to the attention of the voter, I feel the council should redress this unjust imbalance forthwith.
I have little doubt councillors will explain that it is their duty to bring matters before the constituent, I agree, but care must be taken that it complies with the council publications code, I believe Hazel Blears because of the difficulty some councils have interpreting the code is reviewing it.
Would the audit commission insist that Publications be objective, not give rise to their being seen in anyway as promoting any one person or party?
When I wrote this article for the Argus letters Hazel Blears was to review the code do you think she will now be able to find the time?
A look on the internet at (annual audit and inspection letter Nottingham City Council 2004 objection to accounts) page -11 view pages 11-12 illegal councillor publicity? Or search for "district auditor critical of nottingham city over council publicity"
Your recent headline regarding Tom Huish aligning himself to Labour to accept the Deputy Leader position, is a possiblity. Afterall, wouldn't he be losing his Blaenavon Town Council Mayor position this month, and any payment that has?
However, can I throw another name into the pot.
Doug Jones - Peoples Voice.
The public gallery could see the "sway" towards Labour from them.
Another option could be that they have no-one willing to take a pay rise. Perhaps they are waiting to see who the opposition nominate, with a view to voting that person? A long shot but quite possible.
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