Rutland County Council leader could be removed
A special meeting has been called for Tuesday 5th August, after five councillors formally requested a vote on ousting Gale Waller
The Conservative group on Rutland County Council has mounted a bid to remove the authority’s leader in an effort to stop the local government reorganisation.
Just days after the Barleythorpe election, which has changed the political make-up and strengthened the Conservative numbers, Tory group leader Coun Lucy Stephenson and six of her colleagues have put in a vote of no confidence against Liberal Democrat leader Coun Gale Waller.
It will be discussed at a special meeting will be held next Tuesday, which could see the end of Coun Waller’s two years in charge.
Coun Stephenson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service this morning that the move is being led purely by wanting to have a debate about keeping Rutland as a small unitary council in the face of Government pressure to reorganise. However, other councillors have called the move ‘knee jerk’ and Labour’s Coun Ramsay Ross has said Coun Stephenson has a ‘bit of a cheek’.
Frantic phone calls have been taking place between councillors over the past few hours and it appears that whether or not Coun Waller remains in charge will come down to the seven Independents on the council.
The Conservatives have seven members, the Liberal Democrats are 11 strong and there are two Labour councillors.
In a statement, Coun Stephenson said: “I have always been unashamed in putting Rutland first. Putting us, our communities, my home before politics. We must come together as Rutland now, working together across parties, to secure the future for Rutland.
“We have called this vote of no confidence because I cannot bear to see the wishes of our communities dismissed, and to give all councillors the opportunity to debate and support a change in direction, one that recognises we must revisit Rutland’s position, listen to and consult with residents and then put the wishes and needs of Rutlanders at the heart of decision making.
“On January 10 the leader of the council set Rutland on a path to losing our independence by informing Government that there was ‘unanimous in-principle agreement to a mayoral authority . . . and local government reorganisation.
“This was without any consultation with Rutland’s councillors, let alone Rutland.
“There is a case for Rutland and we believe that case should have the opportunity to be made.”
The authority must tell the Labour government in November its final views about local government reorganisation. The Liberal Democrat’s administration preferred choice is joining within some Leicestershire councils to form a new North Leicestershire and Rutland Council but some in the county would prefer to join with Lincolnshire councils. The reorganisation is due to happen in 2028.
Speaking this morning, Independent councillor Kevin Corby said he considered the no confidence move by the Tory group as ‘knee jerk’ and was mulling over what he will do. He said all of the seven Independents would have their own say on how they vote.
He said: “Do we want to have coups and revolutions over the next two years? I would rather have stability.”
He did say in the east of the county, he felt there was support for a reorganisation with Lincolnshire and said he felt the council had not had enough discussion about the issue.
He said: “Coun Stephenson is forcing this debate and whatever happens this debate needs to be had. I do think that local government reorganisation is very difficult for any leader.”
Coun Ramsay Ross said: “It is a bit of a cheek coming up with this proposal at this time. Save our Rutland is a nonsense proposition. If we don’t engage, Government will simply impose it.”
The motion was signed by all seven Tories, who besides Coun Stephenson are: Coun David Wilby, Coun Giles Clifton, Coun Kiloran Heckels, Coun Matthew Farina, Coun Karen Payne and and newly elected Coun Andrew Dinsmore.
Coun Wilby said he had thought hard before joining his colleagues in signing the motion. He said: “There is an awful lot going on at the moment and very little time to do anything about it. Most of the edits are coming hard and fast from Whitehall. But what we as a group are concerned about is that we do the best for Rutland.
“There was a feeling that if we don’t do it now we would miss the chance and lose the chance to put a stake in the ground for Rutland.”
The special meeting will take place on Tuesday, August 5, at 7pm. There will be a vote about whether to remove the leader and then if that is successful, a new leader will be voted in.
Coun Gale Waller has been contacted for comment.