TORY stronghold Tynedale will be left out in the cold as Northumberland becomes a one-party “Marxist” state, according to a leading councillor.

Marxist state will hinder Tynedale’

By BRIAN TILLEY btilley@cngroup.co.uk

Published at 07:37, Wednesday, 22 May 2013

TORY stronghold Tynedale will be left out in the cold as Northumberland becomes a one-party “Marxist” state, according to a leading councillor.

Leader of the Conservative group in the last council, Heddon’s Peter Jackson, fears the worst after a power-sharing deal was confirmed this week between the 32 Labour members and the three independents on Northumberland County Council.

The support of the independents will give Labour a slender majority of just three over the other parties.

The smuggest smile at County Hall is on the face of Stocksfield’s Anne Dale, whose reward for supporting Labour is understood to be restoration to the position she held before being dropped by the Tories – chairman of audit – while the rest of her former group are left in the political wilderness.

It’s not even certain that the chairmanship of the west area committee – made up of all 17 councillors from the west – will go to one of the 12 Tory members.

Bywell’s Paul Kelly’s price for co-operation is believed to be the chairmanship of the county’s central planning committee, while John Taylor, of Longhoughton, is said to have been rewarded with the chairmanship of the north area planning committee.

However, the decisions will not be confirmed until the first meeting of the new council next Wednesday.

Coun. Jackson predicted the Labour-independent pact would be an extremely unstable one, with every decision “on a knife edge.”

He accused the new regime of creating a one-party state by excluding all Conservative and Lib Dem councillors from the decision making process.

He said: “I am really concerned for the rural areas like Tynedale and the north, because both we and the Lib Dems have been completely shut out.

“Traditionally, the scrutiny of recommendations has been carried out by a committee chaired by an opposition councillor.

“Now we are to have Labour councillors scrutinising Labour recommendations, which is a recipe for disaster.

“It’s the only council I know of which has taken this line.”

He was highly critical of the three independents for “selling out” to Labour, and accused them of letting their electorate down.

He said: “They will be shoring up a Labour administration their electors did not vote for, and did not want.

“It’s a shame for the whole county, as it will now be ruled by what is in effect a communist, Marxist, one party state.”

Labour group leader Coun. Grant Davey, of Blyth, said: “It’s disappointing that the Conservatives have signalled their intent to oppose changes even though the Tories clearly support policies such as free parking and new homes.

“I’m sure residents will conclude that this party political positioning will do the county no good at all.

“It’s sad that they want to play political games in advance of the next meeting of full council but our changes to scrutiny will mean more say in the development of policy, and it should mean less political posturing and better policy.”

He explained that Labour would be introducing a new system of ‘pre-scrutiny’ which would create special boards to scrutinise policy before it got to the executive.

This would replace the “discredited” scrutiny system which introduced too much party politicking into the scrutiny process, and didn’t give enough of a role to back bench councillors.

Coun. Davey explained: “We clearly want to work with all interested parties in the delivery of a Labour manifesto to build at least 1300 affordable homes, maintain first class frontline services designed to support local communities and a policy to work with town councils to deliver free parking across the county, where communities say they want it.

“We want to work with all councillors across the whole county to deliver on our pledges which were supported by over 30,000 voters.

“We would prefer to put party politics to one side as we negotiate difficult times and we think that’s what the residents and businesses of the county would expect of us.

“That’s why we are working with the independent group.”

He said Labour would bring forward plans to tackle the 12,000-plus housing waiting list with the most ambitious housing plan in over 40 years.

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk

Information from his blog Neil Bradbury, recent Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate and Northumberland Councillor, keeping people informed of what I'm up to plus random thoughts too!

Stormy times for Northumberland Tories

The Conservative group on Northumberland County Council is experiencing a bit of turbulance of late. In particular their leader, wealthy landowner Cllr Peter Jackson, is facing a lot of criticism from local residents. An application for a controversial wind farm has come through to the council on land that is owned by Cllr Jackson. On 2nd November, Cllr Jackson curiously was reported in the Journal as saying that he knew nothing of the application and that he had no connections to the company applying, Ponteland Green Energy. He said that "I do not want to be seen to be for or against, I want the planning process to take its course and not influence it one way or the other" - very odd considering that if he didnt favour it, one cannot imagine the applicant even bothering to put in an application for it.

Ponteland Green Energy is a very odd company. It was founded as a company on the 11th July 2011, although the details weren't filed at companies house till October. It is a shell company, with one director and shareholder - Louis Fell. He is a surveyor at George F White, who submitted the application. He is also the son of one of the two managing partners of George F White, Hugh Fell. He is the director of 2 family companies as well as the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth and is on the board of Alnwick Sporting Club. The company is registered at the offices of Greaves, West and Ayre (accountants) in Berwick, who coincidentally audit the accounts for the Berwick Conservative party at no cost. Ponteland Green Energy is clearly a shell company set up purely for the purposes of this application. If additional directors have been taken on (its very unlikely to continue for long with only one director) it wont show up for a while.

One thing is for sure. As the land owner, Cllr Jackson will be set to profit massively from a successful development, either by being made a shareholder in Ponteland Green Energy or by being given a share of the profits.

Cllr Jackson was forced to admit in the Journal on 12th November that “it is true that I was contacted by George F White about the possibility of a planning application, ahead of it being submitted However, I was not aware of the details or timescale of the planning procedures, which is what I meant to express previously, albeit imperfectly. I accept that I might have been clearer on this point.”

The application is opposed by the local Town Council (controlled by the Tories), lots of local protestors and civic groups in the town. Many of the protestors have called in the journal on the 1^st December and yesterday for Cllr Jackson to resign as a councilor. They feel he has been dishonest on a very important application in his area. The application is recommended for approval by planning officers and it will be interesting to see if the Conservative councillors on the committee declare an interest by being friends with the land owner. If not then it's clear he's not friends with them, if they do then there may not be many members left on the West area planning committee!

I do think the case shows the difficulties for the Conservatives in Northumberland. A lot of the senior councllors are big landowners and, whilst some senior conservatives like Cllr John Riddle and the Duke are implacably opposed to wind farms others are attracted to the lure of making big money from wind farm applications. There is a lot of tension about this. A motion that was put to council by Conservative deputy leader Glenn Snaderson about wind farms that was broadly critical was withdrawn just before the council at the last meeting at full council and a number of other anti wind farm campaigners on the tory benches have recently become becalmed.

At the same time, the Conservatives have selected their candidates for the local elections in 2013. I am told that a number of high profile councillors have been deselected, causing a lot of of noses to be put out of joint. It wouldn't surprise me if the top Tories on the council lose some of their breezy disposition over the next few months.

Disruption was the name of the game at the new county council’s first meeting yesterday afternoon as the Tories protested against what they saw as a move towards ‘a one-party state’.

Published on 23/05/2013 09:44

Disruption was the name of the game at the new county council’s first meeting yesterday afternoon as the Tories protested against what they saw as a move towards ‘a one-party state’.

Conservative Group leader Peter Jackson repeatedly called for amendments and named votes during the election of councillors to the various senior roles on the council.

It came after the election three weeks ago in which Labour gained more seats than any other party but not an overall majority.

Since then, Labour has agreed a deal with Independent councillors John Taylor, Anne Dale and Paul Kelly to enable it to form an administration.

Coun Jackson proposed a formal amendment on the election of the chairmen to the scrutiny committees, saying they should all come from the opposition.

Calling for the amendment, he referred to some of the Labour members’ ‘Marxist leanings’ and the road towards a ‘Stalinist doctrine’, while also making reference to ‘shady deals’ made by the Labour group and the three Independent councillors.

Coun Kelly described his call for fairness ‘hypocritical’, coming from ‘someone who had broken all the rules’.

But an angry Coun Andrew Tebbutt said that in the hunt for £35million of savings, the Labour group will need as much support as it can get and was going about it the wrong way by not allowing opposition members to serve as the scrutiny heads, as they had under the previous administration.

Alnwick member Coun Gordon Castle, a former scrutiny committee head, pointed out that the chairmen needed ‘a degree of independence and judgement’ and that Labour could have had ‘a much easier ride than you’re going to get now’.

After a lengthy debate, Coun Jackson called for the third named vote of the meeting, which saw the amendment thrown out.

The first vote at the meeting was for a new role, business chairman, to sit in the chair during council meetings.

But Coun Jackson opened with an amendment to defer the decision until more information of the role was provided, claiming that its aim was to ‘create a one-party state in Northumberland’.

He also called for a full named vote, in which each of the 67 members is asked for his vote in turn, on both this motion and the ensuing vote, which saw new Druridge Bay councillor Scott Dickinson elected.

There were groans in the chamber as Coun Jackson called for another named vote on the election of the council’s leader, despite saying that his group recognised that Labour had won the most seats and would not oppose the election of Grant Davey, who won the vote.

Amble ward member Coun Robert Arckless was elected as the policy board member for children’s services.

As reported on the Gazette website, Norham and Islandshires councillor Dougie Watkin fell short in the vote to take over as leader of the Lib Dem group, failing to oust former council leader Jeff Reid by one vote.

Coun Heather Cairns, elected as one of two Alnwick members, was appointed deputy leader of the group.

decision until more information of the role was provided, claiming that its aim was to ‘create a one-party state in Northumberland’.

He also called for a full named vote, in which each of the 67 members is asked for his vote in turn, on both this motion and the ensuing vote, which saw new Druridge Bay councillor Scott Dickinson elected.

There were groans in the chamber as Coun Jackson called for another named vote on the election of the council’s leader, despite saying that his group recognised that Labour had won the most seats and would not oppose the election of Grant Davey, who won the vote.

Amble ward member Coun Robert Arckless was elected as the policy board member for children’s services.

As reported on the Gazette website, Norham and Islandshires councillor Dougie Watkin fell short in the vote to take over as leader of the Lib Dem group, failing to oust former council leader Jeff Reid by one vote.

Coun Heather Cairns, elected as one of two Alnwick members, was appointed deputy leader of the group.

For more from the meeting, visit www.northumberland gazetee.co.uk

Newly-elected Morpeth town councillor Rachel Moore has been suspended by the Conservative Party pending an internal investigation

Morpeth town councillor suspended by her own party

26 May 2013

Newly-elected Morpeth town councillor Rachel Moore has been suspended by the Conservative Party pending an internal investigation

Rachel Moore, a Tory councillor from Choppington who has been suspended by party officials

A newly-elected Tory councillor has been suspended by party officials while a probe is carried out into her conduct.

Rachel Moore won a seat on Northumberland’s Morpeth Town Council at this month’s local government elections after standing as a Tory in the Stobhill ward.

Now – within weeks of taking up her new role in public life – she has been suspended by the party pending the investigation into allegations made against her.

Officials at the Morpeth and Wansbeck Conservative Association have refused to say exactly what the probe will look into.

However, it has emerged that last year Ms Moore was given a 12-month conditional discharge by magistrates after being charged with offences under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981.

She pleaded guilty at South East Northumberland Law Courts in Bedlington to two counts of producing a false prescription .

It is understood that, following Ms Moore’s election to the town council, her court conviction was revealed in an anonymous letter to local Conservative officials.

Questions have been asked about whether she is a suitable person to be representing the local community in Stobhill – and allegations made about her behaviour.

Tory officials have insisted they knew nothing of the background when she was selected to stand as their candidate against five Liberal Democrat rivals in the five-seat Stobhill ward.

Despite her suspension, Ms Moore, who lives in Greenfield Drive, Choppington near Ashington, is continuing with her role as a Morpeth town councillor.

Speaking from her home she declined to comment on the court case or her suspension, but confirmed she remains a councillor.

One Morpeth resident, who asked not to be named, said: “I believe those who voted for Ms Moore on May 2 are unaware of her true character, and were this to become known she certainly would not have been elected to such a prominent position representing our town.

“I am shocked that the local Conservative Party does not have more rigorous procedures to vet its candidates, and I hope they put such procedures in place in the future.”

He claims her personal situation makes Ms Moore “totally unfit for office.”

One Tory insider said: “Things have been raised subsequent to the council elections which give us serious concerns. We go through a selection procedure with candidates but, unfortunately, some things slip through the net.”

Richard Wearmouth, chairman of the Morpeth and Wansbeck Conservative Association, said: “I can confirm that Rachel Moore has been suspended pending an investigation by the party into matters which have been raised with us.”

He said officials were not aware of the matters when Ms Moore was selected as a candidate. Gillian Turner, clerk to Morpeth Town Council, said she was unaware of Ms Moore’s suspension by the Tories, and she was continuing to work as a town councillor. She added: “Since being elected she has attended our annual meeting and our mayor-making ceremony.”

He said county Executive members had little meaningful input into decisions, with policies presented to them with little or no notice, that he was moved into four different portfolio posts in five years, and that he only joined the Party in 2006, but was responsible for writing the manifesto in 2008 and 2013, with no input from the leadership.

Party fall-out leads to election calls

Published on 23/05/2013 10:43

CALLS have come for a by-election after a councillor split from his Party’s county group.

Morpeth Stobhill member Ian Lindley has decided to sit as an independent Liberal Democrat on Northumberland County Council over concerns about the local group’s leadership.

The councillor, who has previously disagreed with colleagues on issues such as Morpeth’s Telford Bridge traffic lights, saw his majority cut from around 650 to 81 in this month’s elections.

And in a stinging email to Party members at the weekend he said he was leaving the county group, slamming it for avoiding having any policy aims, with no decision-making processes and domination by two or three individuals.

He said county Executive members had little meaningful input into decisions, with policies presented to them with little or no notice, that he was moved into four different portfolio posts in five years, and that he only joined the Party in 2006, but was responsible for writing the manifesto in 2008 and 2013, with no input from the leadership.

He said he had made desperate attempts to stop the ‘worst decisions’ going through and had sought to convince the group to put democratic processes in place.

And he suggested that the result of the Liberal Democrat leadership vote, which saw Jeff Reid beat off a challenge from Dougie Watkin, cemented his decision.

Coun Lindley told the Herald he was disappointed that his memo had been made public.

“I have no desire to derail the Party. The email was intended to explain to people and be clear why I was leaving the group,” he said.

“I have tried my best to sort it out from the inside and failed. I’m sick of the conflict and trying to put a positive face on the situation. I’m just going to concentrate on my job as a backbench councillor.

“I will be an independent Liberal Democrat. I’m still a member of the Party, but I have distanced myself from that particular group at the county.

“I’m there to represent the people and do my job. I will do my best for the people of Stobhill and the county.”

Liberal Democrat Group Leader Jeff Reid said: “I totally disagree with every reason Ian Lindley said he was leaving for, but fortunately it is a free country. People are entitled to do what they want.

“I’m terribly sorry that he felt this enmity towards me and I’m sorry that he felt he had to leave the group.

“You have to look at the context of the election and the disappointment that he only just got returned.

“I’m desperately sorry that it has turned out the way it has. He was always a strong member of the group.”

The Conservative and Labour groups say Coun Lindley should step down and force a by-election in Stobhill, particularly as his decision to break with the county Liberal Democrats comes so soon after the ballot earlier this month.

But both Coun Reid and Coun Lindley say it is not necessary as he is still a member of the Party.

Coun Lindley said: “I’m not breaking with the Party, I’m breaking with that particular leadership group. A councillor is quite entitled to follow his own conscience.”

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