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Basingstoke mayor row latest

1:00pm Thursday 4th March 2010 in


DEFIANT maverick councillor Phil Heath has vowed to “fight to the end” after the latest setback in his bid to be the next mayor of Basingstoke and Deane.

All but four of the ruling Conservative councillors who were present at an extraordinary borough council meeting on Monday voted against the Basingstoke First Community Party member becoming the next mayor.

But Cllr Heath – a former Conservative group leader – told The Gazette he has every intention of taking his battle to be the 369th mayor of Basingstoke and Deane right to the annual mayor-making meeting in May.

He said: “I am going to carry on and fight to the end.”

Following a heated debate and a vote – which is not binding and is only an indication of who is likely to be the next mayor – Conservative councillor Keith Chapman, as the second most senior councillor and favoured candidate of most of the majority Conservative administration, is now in pole position to take up the mayoral chains.

However, Cllr Heath insists it is still his constitutional right to become mayor, and he said he would be coming along to the May mayor-making ceremony with members of his family and representatives from the charities that are set to benefit from his charity appeal should he become first citizen.

Cllr Heath said: “The Conservatives want, at any cost, to stop me being mayor – somebody has to stand up to them.

“This is so important for the borough because the mayoralty is sacrosanct – it is about nearly 350 years of history.

“The Conservatives say I am a risk. They are making out that I am going to go round attacking people.

“But it is quite clear that if they don’t like you, they will not allow you to become mayor.

“I am prepared to stand in Market Place and answer any questions from the public.”

The latest vote follows claims from Conservative group leader Cllr Mark Ruffell that Cllr Heath, who was expelled from the Con-servatives in 2008 following a row with a party member, is not fit to be mayor.

The standards committee, which has previously sent Cllr Heath on a training course after finding he failed to treat others with respect, is now probing four fresh complaints against Cllr Heath for allegedly breaching the councillor’s code of conduct.

Two complaints have been made by Conservative councillors and two by council officers, including one from borough chief executive Tony Curtis who was unhappy with the deputy mayor for levelling criticism at the borough council over its response to the recent snow chaos.

Comments(11)

Hiliter says...
4:24pm Thu 4 Mar 10

It's difficult to say who of the Tory Group came out the worst on the night having watched the web cast of the Council meeting on the 1 March.What a spiteful bunch they are and they have become worse since Cllr Ruffell became Group Leader.All this nonsense about voting with their conscience -most of them cant spell it never mind understand its meaning.Once Cllr Ruffell had made his mind up to spite Cllr Heath everything else fell into place.From contrived complaints through to persuading Cllr Chapman to stand again as Mayor-not that it would take much to persuade him to make a bid for this-and carefully prepared contributions from Cllrs Rhatigan Donnell and Reid - all designed to complete a character assassination of Cllr Heath, no whipping of the Group was required.The unsubstantiated comments about Cllr Heath amounted to saying he was guilty of misconduct before any proper process had been started let alone finished.For Cllr Ruffell as a Barrister to be a part of this is appalling , albeit this is in a non legal setting, was totally unacceptable.The loudest applause of the night was reserved for Cllr Shaw and his first turgid contribution - mind you the applause came from the Tory Group so that says it all.The grovelling of Tory Cllrs to the Mayor -most of whom couldnt stand him as Leader/Deputy Leader,had to be seen to be believed. At least he has been shown up to be how we all knew he would be in the post and his ineffectual year in office will have one thing to remember it by-the year that the Mayor failed to support his Deputy and allowed if not encouraged the politics of revenge to overide and devalue the position of Mayor.We now will have a dummy Mayor,if the Tories get their way, who has no credibility and the ludicrous prospect of Cllr Heath continueing as Deputy Mayor next year.Cllr Heath appears to be acceptable to the Tories in that capacity but not as Mayor. - what a joke.Ive said it before -boycott Mayor Chapman and invite Deputy Mayor Heath to all functions.The farce continues!

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george potten says...
5:11pm Thu 4 Mar 10

yes well sumed up, the only thing i did not see was who had the longest nails and the best handbag. this is what they have become a joke for the rest of hampshire to have a good old laugh about.all littel **** fighting and will do us no good in the long run

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BeatlesGuru says...
7:54pm Thu 4 Mar 10

My full support and admiration goes out to Cllr.Gerry Traynor whom so insensed by it all handed in his badge of office. After such a ridiculous and stupid farce there must now be central government intervention calling for the entire ruling Conservative group to have all their seats up for re-election to give us voters the chance to get rid off every one of those arrogant and ignorant Tory right wing fascists. Also there should certainly be overwhelming support now for an elected mayor, and anyone who does not think so is surely an imbecile because we also need to get rid off that stupid Chief Executive. As someone born and raised in Basingstoke I feel so emotional and insensed about all this that just feel like tearing up my Basingstoke birth certificate in public as my own form of protest, as I just no longer wish to think of Basingstoke as my place of birth. Nothing short of a Labour MP and Labour council can restore my loyalty in my place of birth. These stupid vindictive Tory right wing fascists are certainly making Basingstoke look like a joke, I can well imagine comedians up and down the land right this minute writing new material about the Tory farce of Basingstoke -pity Have I got News For You is not on TV at present. When thinking of global social networks such as facebook just think how the Tory farce can spread around the world. There is one consolation that could come from this, the end of the Conservative party for good both locally and nationally.

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bluestocking says...
8:06pm Thu 4 Mar 10

You're right. Maybe a new MP would help in replacing the existing administration top to bottom. (Please note, as before, my username is one word and nothing to do with Tories.) The mayor is more like an ambassador for the town and would not be able to do that. But the council has the bit between its teeth and is not going to listen.

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BeatlesGuru says...
10:03pm Thu 4 Mar 10

Quite so bluestocking the ruling Tory group refusing to listen are clearly showing the same arragance as that Tory government who never listened to the people and consequently voted out of office and beaten by a Labour landslide. Conclusive proof that the Tories have not changed. So hopefully this should lead to a similar Labour landslide for this council. We must all remember this when it comes to local elections because of course we still have them despite there being a general election this year.

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Julie44 says...
10:43am Fri 5 Mar 10

I am no fan of Cllr Heath, but I am apalled at the way he is being treated. Surely this arrogance and vindictiveness of councillors is unacceptable to the majority of people! It is no surprise to see Tony Curtis is on side with the Conservative Cllrs either - in my opinion he is just power hungry and always has been (and a salary to match his ego). Arrogance is his biggest trait.

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Hiliter says...
3:15pm Fri 5 Mar 10

Hiliter.It should be noted that the Chief Executive continues to give advice,particularly to the Tory Group about an interpretation of the constitution all supporting the view that Cllr Heath is not a fit and proper person to become Mayor,whilst there are outstanding,so called "complaints" against him(Cllr Heath).He fails always to mention that he (C/X) is one of those who has made a complaint ! It must be debateable whether he should be involved in this process or whether he should declare an interest and take no further part in advising Council until the issue has been resolved and the Standards Committee has considered the complaint(s).How Cllr Heath can expect to get a fair hearing at any time now is beyond me.Cllr Chapman really will have no credibility over this issue.Is he really expecting the community to embrace him as Mayor knowing he has clawed himself up the ladder of accession at Cllr Heath's expense.He has no status and really should be boycotted as an illegitimate Mayor if he takes office on the 13 May.He used to be glowing in his tributes to Cllr Heath when he and the rest of the Tory Group used him(Cllr Heath) as their rotweiller(apologies to rotweillers) to maul opposition Cllrs in debate.He was particularly grateful to Cllr Heath during his discredited attempts to shut the Haymarket Theatre but he obviously has a short memory.No, he is now prepared to bask in his new found status and humiliate his ex colleague on the 13 May together with Cllr Heath's family and friends,not to mention chosen local charity representatives.I can't wait to here his acceptance speech -he will probably have the nerve to pay tribute to Cllr Heath ! At least he alone will be able to say kind things about the outgoing Mayor who always wanted to find a way to do down Cllr Heath-so they can both celebrate a job well done on the night !

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basingstoketown says...
10:12am Sat 6 Mar 10

Having watched the webcast on Monday what struck me was the intense childishness of Cllr Ruffell. For a so called barrister his arguments were based on blaming everyone else but the ruling Tory group for this mess. He even turned on the gallery at one point - I will urge the people of Basingstoke to watch the webcast and make up their own minds on the reasons for the Tories decisions.
Personally, my views are the Tories are a deceitful, corrupt and manipulative bunch who have been exposed by one their 'own'. The sheer level of vindictiveness is astounding as is the willingness to make protocol on 'the hoof'.

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Politicsfree says...
5:39am Tue 9 Mar 10

Ok...lets look at this as simply as possible. hmmm

So he gets expelled from the Tory's, sets up his own party, becomes deputy Mayor - serves his time...comes to get his 'promotion' and is denied by the original set of people who expelled him.

In logical terms, or ok in "normal, anyone in a paid position" terms - surely he has the right to raise a grieviance? (sp).

To have a vote where there is a Conservative strong hold (i.e the numbers just tip to conservative no matter what way you crunch them) is basically a lopsided vote - not a fair trial guv'nor!

Anyone in any form of paid "position" would be able to fight this legally with representation.

The councillors throwing stones should really remember they are in glass houses....I am surprised Phil hasn't throw some of the stones back, he must know what some of them get upto (hence a row that no-one seems to know about).

I am no fan - but this just stinks and surely there is a legal side to this somewhere?

Unfair dismissal, lopsided vote?

Sue them for defamation of Character - the complaints have not been discussed yet - yet he's been tried?

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Politicsfree says...
5:22pm Tue 9 Mar 10

Also....when where these complaints received? Where they all from Conservative Councillors/members? Surely that stinks if so!. Remember Mrs Heaths speech where she knew back in November that Phil Heath would be stopped from being mayor - so it all seems contrived to me! I've heard of the same treatment of people locally when trying to get things done - cllrs stopping progress by "having words" with people to not help, so campaigns couldn't get any momentum. If this is the case and the Cllr Heath can name the person who told them "he will never become mayor" - thats illegal right there.

I listened to the whole meeting and think the Mayor was adament to cut down those he did not wish to speak...Cllr James was doing a great job of trying to "get to the bottom" of it - but with people being protected (complaints)... we are left to wonder.

Some of the Councillors didn't speak....Some of them close ex-colleagues/campai
gners. I wish I could see who Mrs Heath was directing her "you disgust me" comment too!

The Mayor should stand up and discredit the Tories representation on May 13th as I think they have contrived the whole sorry scenario. What are they frightened of.....democracy?

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ChinehamIan says...
9:28pm Wed 10 Mar 10

I find the whole story rather boring...is it really that important who the Mayor is ? What do they actually do ? There are more important issues right now than who the next mayor is!

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Incoming deputy mayor Cllr Phil Heath with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council chief executive Tony Curtis when the councillor took up the chains of office last May Incoming deputy mayor Cllr Phil Heath (right) with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council chief executive Tony Curtis after receiving the badge of office in May last year

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