On 6th May the Conservative Agent at Chelsea Manor Street issued invitations to Conservative councillors to stand for Leadership of the party in Hornton Street. Nominations have to be in by noon on 10th May and voting will take place on 16th May if the position is contested.
Hornet has long been critical of the current Leadership for being out of touch, profligate, and running roughshod over residents wishes. And in a democracy thirteen years in office is just too long.
The temptation for Sir M to try to squeeze out a couple more years, so he can be part of the leadership team to usher in the 2012 Olympics must be great - you never know he could try someother role when that comes about....
We hope that qualified councillors will put their name forward to take over the mantle of Leadership and give a much needed refresh to the corridors of the Town Hall. The Dame hears that Clls Ahern, Coleridge and Buxton all feel that they could do the job. Cllr Lindsay has impressed by his straight talking and fairness and represents a younger generation. Cllr Borwick ran a spirited campaign to become Mayor of London and came a strong second. Cllr Buxton has wide experience and is another capable pair of hands.
The Dame also learns Cllr Weatherhead has some leadership ambitions and thinks that to keep them as ambitions is probably the best idea.
The press and political blogs have been so full of the failings of Cllr Cockell in his role as Leader of K&C that it is over-time for him to consider his position. Which he has manifestly failed to do.
ReplyDeleteIn the circumstances, the time has come for those who are qualified to challenge him for the position of Leader. And give their fellow councillors the cahnce to restore democracy in Hornton Street.
Last year it was rumoured that three councillors (Ahern, Paget- Brown and Coleridge) were ready with their papers. But Cockell threatened them with disloyalty and they did not have the backbone to do what they knew to be right.
This year again, many of us are watching. Lets do it properly this time and not have some kind of backroom stitch up. It diminishes democracy
As usual we will see the usual nudge, nudge and wink,wink. The prevailing force will be to change nothing.
ReplyDeleteBut this will be an opportunity missed. Eric Pickles has called for a root and branch overhaul of local Government and David Cameron is striving for the Big Society to get established
If there was an ounce of democracy in K&C we would have an open selection for the Leadership of Hornton Street at a meeting where all paid up members of the local Tories are entitled to vote.
Are the reptiles up for it?
Lets not have a "fix" and a chosen successor.
ReplyDeleteRemember the pantomime of Blair and Brown.......
I would like to see Ward chairmen stand up and be counted and those that are cllrs and thus conflicted should stand aside.
ReplyDeleteThe Ward Chairman need to wake up 6.02. They need to wade back into local politics and play their proper role instead of the neutered envelope stuffers that they have been reduced to by the current regime.
ReplyDeleteThey should think hard about requesting an "Open Selection" for the K&C Leader. David Cameron has been encouraging this approach for MP selection. It delivered Shaun Bailey in Hammersmith.
We used it recently in the K&C Town Hall to select our GLA representative when Kit Malthouse emerged from a strong field that included Lightfoot, Paget-Brown and Borwick.
When they meet on 10th can someone slip a truth serum in their Pimms? Now THAT would be a worthwhile meeting, though some self-deluded people might be a bit upset by the result.
ReplyDeleteThe most extraordinary stories are emerging about new Tory candidates selected to fight the vacant wards in the forthcoming by elections in K&C
ReplyDeleteMore evidence that Cockell has lost the plot
When Leaders become accident prone it is time to dump them