Tony Reid is spared party backlash
Published on 14/03/2008
PRUDHOE’S Coun. Tony Reid is the only member of Northumberland County Council’s ruling executive who will be fighting for a seat on the county’s new unitary authority.All eight others have failed to win selection for the safe Labour seats in the party’s South East Northumberland heartland.The driving forces behind the county’s bid for a single unitary authority, including present leader Coun Peter Hillman, and former leader Bill Brooks, as well as the architect of the switch to two-tier education Coun. Jim Wright have all been axed by their own party.The nominations have gone to Blyth Valley and Wansbeck district councillors, in what is being seen as a payback for the county council’s failure to support Northumberland’s six district councils’ bid for a rural/ urban split.It now remains to be seen whether the visions put forward by the present county hierarchy are put into practice by successors who have no experience in running schools, highways or social services departments.One councillor who has survived is Blyth’s Coun. Dave Stephens, who denied the district councillors were getting their own back on their county colleagues. He said there were a lot of very good candidates for a limited number of seats, following national party procedure.“It was very close in some cases, but the candidates chosen bring with them a great deal of experience,” said Coun. Stephens.Elsewhere, another senior Tynedale councillor has fallen victim to petticoat power.Veteran Hexham councillor Tom Flaws has been denied the opportunity to defend his seat at the forthcoming elections under the party rule which insists 50 per cent of winnable seats have women-only shortlists for candidates.Coun. Flaws’s Hexham Central seat falls into that category, so the nomination instead has gone to Acomb district councillor Jane Wrigley.Coun. Flaws said this week: “I am naturally very disappointed not to have been given the opportunity to defend the seat, and while I wish Jane Wrigley well, I cannot agree with Labour’s policy on women only shortlists.“It would make far more sense to concentrate on equal pay for women, which would impact on many more people.”Unlike other ousted sitting councillors, Coun. Flaws will not be standing as an independent.Coun. Flaws’s seat is one of three in the district where the “women only” rule is being enforced.Fighting the Hexham East seat will be Caroline Warburton, despite the fact she has just finished bottom of the poll twice over in the recent by-elections in Hexham.The other women only seat was supposed to be Bywell, but an acceptable local female candidate could not be found, so sitting councillor Paul Kelly has secured the nomination.Nominations for seats on the new council don’t open until March 25, and close on April 4. Polling will take place on May 1.
Published on 14/03/2008
PRUDHOE’S Coun. Tony Reid is the only member of Northumberland County Council’s ruling executive who will be fighting for a seat on the county’s new unitary authority.All eight others have failed to win selection for the safe Labour seats in the party’s South East Northumberland heartland.The driving forces behind the county’s bid for a single unitary authority, including present leader Coun Peter Hillman, and former leader Bill Brooks, as well as the architect of the switch to two-tier education Coun. Jim Wright have all been axed by their own party.The nominations have gone to Blyth Valley and Wansbeck district councillors, in what is being seen as a payback for the county council’s failure to support Northumberland’s six district councils’ bid for a rural/ urban split.It now remains to be seen whether the visions put forward by the present county hierarchy are put into practice by successors who have no experience in running schools, highways or social services departments.One councillor who has survived is Blyth’s Coun. Dave Stephens, who denied the district councillors were getting their own back on their county colleagues. He said there were a lot of very good candidates for a limited number of seats, following national party procedure.“It was very close in some cases, but the candidates chosen bring with them a great deal of experience,” said Coun. Stephens.Elsewhere, another senior Tynedale councillor has fallen victim to petticoat power.Veteran Hexham councillor Tom Flaws has been denied the opportunity to defend his seat at the forthcoming elections under the party rule which insists 50 per cent of winnable seats have women-only shortlists for candidates.Coun. Flaws’s Hexham Central seat falls into that category, so the nomination instead has gone to Acomb district councillor Jane Wrigley.Coun. Flaws said this week: “I am naturally very disappointed not to have been given the opportunity to defend the seat, and while I wish Jane Wrigley well, I cannot agree with Labour’s policy on women only shortlists.“It would make far more sense to concentrate on equal pay for women, which would impact on many more people.”Unlike other ousted sitting councillors, Coun. Flaws will not be standing as an independent.Coun. Flaws’s seat is one of three in the district where the “women only” rule is being enforced.Fighting the Hexham East seat will be Caroline Warburton, despite the fact she has just finished bottom of the poll twice over in the recent by-elections in Hexham.The other women only seat was supposed to be Bywell, but an acceptable local female candidate could not be found, so sitting councillor Paul Kelly has secured the nomination.Nominations for seats on the new council don’t open until March 25, and close on April 4. Polling will take place on May 1.
No comments:
Post a Comment