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Mayoral twist (From Basingstoke Gazette)
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Mayoral twist
12:50pm Saturday 13th March 2010
CONSERVATIVE attempts to install their man as mayor could founder on a requirement that a member of another political group supports their candidate.
Traditionally, the most senior Basingstoke and Deane Borough councillor becomes mayor, but this year deputy mayor Councillor Phil Heath has been blocked by members of the Conservative group, which he was expelled from in 2008. Of the 33 Tory councillors, 26 have backed the next most senior councillor, Conservative Cllr Keith Chapman, to become mayor.
However, no one from any of the other political parties has publicly backed anyone other than Cllr Heath – who is facing four allegations that he has breached the councillors’ code of conduct – to become mayor because they believe tradition should be upheld and claim the Tories are politicising the post.
The lack of support from other parties presents Cllr Chapman (pictured) with a potential problem because when the formal vote is taken at the mayor making meeting in May, the incoming mayor requires at least one of those proposing or seconding him or her to be from a party group other than his or her own.
Now, there have been calls for Cllr Chapman to stand aside and let the mayor be chosen in accordance with tradition.
Independent councillor Martin Biermann said: “My hope is that good sense will prevail and, at the end of the day, any other nominees who come forward will think again and step back and let the process proceed as it has in the past.”
The clause about needing nominators from two political groups is contained in a minute of a council meeting from 1984, which is mentioned in the constitution, and has been brought to light by the borough Labour group.
Labour group leader Cllr Laura James said this demonstrates the position of mayor should be non-political.
She said: “We are not prepared to support a dummy mayor – it would be wrong to do that. This is a matter of principal and we wouldn’t be prepared to support Keith. We have always supported members of different parties but this time we couldn’t do it.
“I really hope no other councillor supports him because doing so would legitimise the process, which is wrong.”
Cllr Heath believes the situation could cause Cllr Chapman, who has been a borough councillor since 1979, a problem unless the Conservatives change the rules. He said: “I think that (the clause) is a sensible way of ensuring we have a non-political mayor.”
Despite the evidence to the contrary, Cllr Chapman is maintaining that he does not require the support of a councillor from another group to become mayor.
He said: “I don’t have to (have this support). It would be nice. I haven’t asked anybody yet so I don’t know what the reaction is going to be. I’m not planning for anything at the moment because it is so uncertain.”
Borough council chief executive Tony Curtis said council officers are working to clarify the situation but will not be able to confirm what will happen at the mayor making ceremony until early April.
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king_of_basingstoke, Town says...
2:17pm Sat 13 Mar 10
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They cannot be trusted to spend our money as this outrageous farcical waste shows. A waste being forced upon us by the local conservatives unwillingness to selectively accept tradition, but quite happy to sit in the local Masonic lodge with their old school ties.
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Yes, Councillor Heath has a fiery personality and does not suffer c**ts easily but he is unlikely to do any damage as local mayor. No more damage than John Prestcot did as deputy prime minister after smacking a member of the public in the mouth. I don't think Phil Heath has done that, but if he did I think Horace Mitchell would be worthy of more than a black eye!
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Short version - will you bunch of tw*ts just cut the cr*p and get on with the business of Council please. If we want drama queens we will go to the theatre instead.
bluestocking, Basingstoke says...
3:22pm Sat 13 Mar 10
king_of_basingstoke, Town says...
5:06pm Sat 13 Mar 10
warness, Cadnam says...
7:41pm Sat 13 Mar 10
Or are those giant moobs a pre-requisite for membership of the sons-of-basingstoke lodge?
Bluestocking - no pictures please
bluestocking, Basingstoke says...
10:04am Sun 14 Mar 10
basingstoketown, basingstoke says...
12:52pm Sun 14 Mar 10
and that would bring some humour to this very sad situation
ChinehamIan, Chineham says...
8:42pm Sun 14 Mar 10
bluestocking, Basingstoke says...
6:44am Mon 15 Mar 10
bluestocking, Basingstoke says...
6:55am Mon 15 Mar 10
king_of_basingstoke, Town says...
2:48pm Tue 16 Mar 10
Hiliter, Basingstoke says...
6:20pm Wed 17 Mar 10
Funny how quiet the Tory bloggers and letter writers have gone recently.They hope that their sordid tactics will no longer get any publicity before the mayor making meeting on the 13 May.What will Cllr Chapman's stance be now,faced with the likely prospect that he will only receive support from his own Tory colleagues in his bid to become Mayor.Perhaps some new interpretation of the constitution can be discovered to justify single party support but what a mean spirited attitude this will show if Cllr Chapman allows himself to continue with this charade.I would have thought that he,of all people, would want a different legacy to that which now awaits him.Does he really want to be remembered as the Cllr who helped ,perhaps encouraged,to bring the Mayorality in Basingstoke into disrepute and moved the position of Mayor into the political arena.Mind you the Tories will be content to move back to the traditional arrangements next year and beyond as soon as they have undermined Cllr Heath.What hypocrisy !
I know I have said this before but Cllr Chapman's acceptance speech at the Mayor making meeting should be something to behold.After humiliating Cllr Heath and his family and friends together with Charity representatives no doubt Cllr Chapman will pay tribute to Cllr Heath,his ex colleague for his contribution as Deputy mayor and his public service over many years.This really should be worth hearing !
Of course Cllr Chapman could do the honourable thing and tell his advisers that he wants no more of this and prepare himself for the office of Mayor over the next twelve months and act with some dignity unlike others in his Group and Cllr Ruffell in particular.I suspect however that Cllr Chapman has been a willing party to all of this from the start.
The current Mayor has acted little better and not once has he spoken up for his Deputy Mayor as is usually the case.Of course it has given Cllr Gurden the ideal opportunity to settle old scores with Cllr Heath even if it has demeaned the position of Mayor for evermore.
king_of_basingstoke, Town says...
1:47pm Thu 18 Mar 10
Mayoral twist
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bluestocking, Basingstoke says...
1:42pm Sat 13 Mar 10