At last night’s full council meeting – the last until after the May local elections – Labour councillor for Newport East, Cllr Geoff Lumley proposed a motion to return to a committee system of governance.
He asked the members to not get caught up on the model suggested – because it could be adapted following consultation – but saw this as an opportunity for councillors to join with Labour to “restore democracy to the council”.
Leader: “Move to next business”
As reported live from the meeting last night, immediately after Cllr Lumley presented his motion, Leader of the Isle of Wight council, Cllr Dave Stewart, called a halt to any debate by raising a point of procedure (in accordance with para 11a of the Constitution). He proposed they proceed to ‘next business’ without discussion of the current motion.
His proposal was seconded and passed with 19 votes in favour. There 18 votes against.
A decision “for the next council”
Cllr Stewart told OnTheWight he used the point of procedure to move to the next item on the agenda because he believes, “the decision is a matter for the next council”.
He said that personally, he believes the Executive system is the most effective because it provides a clear process for decision-making, adding that it would not be correct for councillors to tie the hands of the next council when it is elected in May.
Lumley: “They will want unbridled power”
Following the meeting, Cllr Lumley told OnTheWight,
“Last night was an opportunity for 20 members of the Council to deliver on their 2013 promise to get rid of dictatorial Executive governance in favour of the democratic Committee system.
“The Tory leader and his Ukip friends wanted to avoid this at all costs as if they take control on 5th May they will want unbridled power. That is why Cllr Stewart moved a procedural device to stop any debate of my Motion.
“He was successful by one vote, but only because two Independent councillors, who were elected in alleged opposition to the Conservatives and professing a commitment to Committee governance, supported him yet again.
“Cllrs Richard Priest and Jonathan Gilbey, both from Shanklin, should hang their heads in shame. The people of Shanklin voted anti-Tory in 2013 and got these two. I wonder which is worse.”
Baker-Smith: “An absolute disgrace”
At the end of the meeting, Leader of the Island Independents (who were in power from May 2013-Jan 2017), Cllr Julia Baker-Smith explained that Cllr Lumley’s motion had full support from the Independent group and the only reason they didn’t go down that route four years ago was because it was “effectively blocked by the Conservatives”.
She said,
“Four years ago the Independent group Were told unequivocally by the Conservatives that if we went to a committee system they would not man any of the committees as they were to act as opposition and not there to set policy.”
She went on to explain that’s why the Indies went for a compromise with the hybrid system, adding that you can’t have committees without people on them.
“What happened tonight was an absolute disgrace.”
Image: thematthewknot under CC BY 2.0
