The new Conservative leader at County Hall, Councillor Suzie Ellis, has explained why she withdrew support for a motion of no confidence in the Isle of Wight Council’s leader, Councillor Lora Peacey-Wilcox.
The leadership challenge had been tabled to be heard at the full council meeting on Wednesday night, by former Alliance cabinet member Councillor Chris Jarman and others, but was withdrawn before it was properly debated.
If the motion had been successful, it would have removed Councillor Peacey-Wilcox and installed a coalition cabinet under a Conservative leader, handing control of the authority to the Tories.
Cllr Jarman, the leader of Empowering Islanders, told the meeting Cllr Ellis did not wish to take the ‘opportunity’ to remove the leader or cabinet, or to lead the planned coalition administration.
Cllr Ellis said the motion did not reflect the approach she would be taking as the new group leader and the steps they were exploring for the best way forward.
It had been in discussions since May after a turbulent few months for the Alliance Administration, losing members and vacating crucial cabinet positions.
However, speaking after the meeting, Cllr Ellis said she was not in favour of the no confidence motion when it was first rumoured months ago and Conservative councillors were unanimously behind her last night when she withdrew the support.
She said she understood the Empowering Islanders may say an agreement was in place but since she became leader, and in the interim period beforehand, it had not been discussed.
Cllr Ellis said:
“If and when the Conservative group make a decision to take control of the council, it will be our decision and the timing will not be dictated by another group. It is not a decision to be taken by others and then put to us.”
Leader of the Tories for less than a week, Cllr Ellis said at the current time she was not seeking to be council leader but did not rule it out in the future.
When asked if withdrawing support from the no confidence motion meant she agreed with things the Alliance Administration had done, she said there had been some decisions but if they were talking specifically about the school place planning issues, then no — “they probably need some help”.
When did Bob leave?. Why do council etc have so many uneeded people at tax payers exp just passing email and brown envelopes moaning and creating problems for ordinary folk ?. Council should be run by non political parties and give a fairer service to whole community and not just those that suits them.
Um, the council is run by a non party political group…. the leader and the cabinet are all independents.. they are in a coalition called the Alliance with the greens, but the latter party only have 3 councillors and don’t hold any posts.
Please do the vote of no confidence. We need the Tories to save us!
If power corrupts, then absolute power corrupts absolutely.
As demonstrated daily in Westminster.
The Tories know all about dictators,, takes one to know one. We have an unelected 2nd house, unelected head of state, state TV with no oversight and decades of minority governments. Give in another 20 years and we’ll be another Russia. Their current game (all parties) is to encourage political disengagement. That way they get it build their perfect dictatorship without needing an army.
Stop giving publicity to these nobodies. It is about time they stopped bleating on and started doing something useful. Stop pretending you are MPs in the HoP. You are councillors on a little island. Just make some decisions that your electorate support and be quiet.
Cllr Ellis .. “ it’s my train set .. and I will do what ever I like with it ..” bye bye Tories bye bye
God help us if the tories take over. This lot are bad enough, it seems everytime there is a change in the council it gets even worse, just when you thought it couldn’t. Vote for the AI party, more sense than any of the so called “humans” in charge.
Voting for an Independent is the only option.
All the others sing from the same Hymn sheet.
Voting for an Independent is the only option.
All the others sing from the same Hymn sheet
Why does IW Council send Enforcement Officers to Yaverland Car Park to issue
Parking Tickets, but you can Park outside Sandown Pier on Double Yellow lines
and not get a ticket.
IW Council are clueless and useless.
That is because the Council target Holidaymakers, they don’t care if locals
Park on Double Yellow lines outside the Pier or any where else.
That is because the Council target Holidaymakers, they don’t care if locals
Park on Double Yellow lines outside the Pier or any where else
IW Council are Useless
There’s been a white Van vehicle Registration GV57RZN
parked along Great Preston Road Ryde for over 5 months with NO MOT
“It’s parked outside the Council Houses”
This was reported to IW Council, Island Roads and Ryde District Steward
months ago and the useless Numpties have done nothing about it.
Households who are legal want to be able to park outside their homes
The van is still parked along Great Preston Road with NO MOT
It’s parked outside 115 Great Preston Rd
This Council don’t have a clue what they are doing.
There are no rules on Island Roads, motorists get away with too much on the Island.
They wouldn’t get away with such behaviour in Pompey,
any vehicle with no Mot would be Towed away.
The Island is very laid back, hence no rules.