13 - Unlucky for some, or everyone?

As previously reported, every May the Conservative Group of councillors elects, or re-elects, their Leader who also becomes the defacto Leader of the Council in Kensington and Chelsea. For the last twelve years Cllr Cockell has been re elected unopposed. In the immortal words of Lord Acton: "Power corrupts. Absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely". Thirteen years is too long for a one person to hold the reigns of power in a democracy; hence why America limits the Presidential term term to a maximum of eight years. In Britain, the electoral system ensures (most of the time) that leadership is refreshed, though in recent years we have witnessed the shambles of leaderships (Thatcher and Blair) that went beyond their sell by dates.

The electoral safety net does not operate in Kensington and Chelsea because the Tories have a natural monopoly. The idea of any other party forming an administration in Hornton Street is remote. 70% of the vote is Conservative at local elections and most of this is on autopilot. And since the dustbins get cleared on time, voter apathy is rampant and only 30% turn out to cast their ballot. In these circumstances, Conservative councillors have a duty to the electorate to make sure that the right Leader is in place at the right time. The responsibility is in their hands.

Cockell's predecessor, Joan Hannam, stayed for eleven years as Leader. She stepped down after many of her councillor friends and supporters told her in confidence that she had stayed too long and it was time to go. Cllr Cockell, now in his thirteenth year as Leader, is a man in love with the trappings of power and has used the Cabinet system of Government to consolidate the power of patronage over councillors to ensure he clings to office. Young councillors know that stepping out of line will blight their prospects for ever and the older councillors know that stepping out of line will lose them their SRA's or deny them the prospect of SRA's. By driving up SRA's to levels that are the highest in the land, Cllr Cockell has created a patronage dictatorship. No one dares to tell the Emperor that he has no clothes.

If you need any evidence that the Gravy Train currently trolleying through RBKC is well and truly well oiled, look at the stops in H&F and Westminster where they receive much less in allowances.

The principal attribute of successful Leaders is their grasp of detail about their business. Not so Cllr Cockell. His world is one of rhetoric and fantasy. "A new school for unborn generations of children" (Statement at a Cabinet Meeting). "My Cabinet is worthy of 10 Downing Street" (Speech to Main Council Meeting). But ask him about traffic flows in Exhibition Rd and he does not have a clue. (Courtfield Ward Meeting). And history also tells us that when a major shift of circumstance takes place, like the economic crisis that we are in, new blood is required to identify and implement necessary change. The skill set and aptitude of the old guard is invariably out of tune with different times.

And leaders need to lead by example and demonstrate the core values of their constituency. Conservative values have thrift, honesty, openness and consistency at their core. It was only because of the new Freedom of Information Act that it was possible to unearth the extent to which Cockell was abusing his position to use tax payers money to travel First Class to American "conferences", dine at upmarket New York restaurants and entertain people whose names he "forgot" at weekend feasts in the Big Apple.

Read about it here

The publicity about his profligacy undermined Cllr Cockell's plans to move effortlessly from Kensington and Chelsea to a place in the House of Lords. A move that would have augmented his income stream from the Leader's £66k to a hoped for Govt job as Minister of Local Govt in the Lords (£110k). Cockell nursed this ambition for many years with his colleague Cllr Ritchie. In CCO she reigned supreme as Candidates Chairman, and he looked after her in the Town Hall where he rewarded her with a £53k Cabinet position. The planned Peerage never came, and of course there is now a problem because loss of the Leader's stipend of £66k would produce a financial crisis for Cockell who is dependent on the public purse. So he will try to cling to power with a new vengeance.

The Hornet sends this message to all Conservative Councillors in Hornton Street. "Enough is enough. Thirteen years is too long for one person to occupy the position of Leader. Consult and plan an orderly transfer of power in May 2011. Now is the time to start".

A number of councillors are able and willing to stand. The Hornet has been buzzing around and Cllrs Ahern, Borwick, Coleridge and Paget-Brown have all whispered their willingness to submit themselves for Leadership. Cllr Ritchie is more guarded but it is known that Cllr Cockell promoted her name vigorously when he feared for a time in 2010 that publicity about his expenses might force him out of office.

Go on, you know it makes sense.