Suffolk Tories double blow
By Martin Chapman on Thursday, 18th April 2002.
Tories in Suffolk are realing from a double blow after Derek Redhead defected from the party and Sue Side-Lockett resigned from the county council’s Tory opposition group at County Hall.
The announcement of Cllr Redheads resignation was made by St Edmunsbury borough Council Chief Executive Debroah Cadman. In the statement she said: Mr Redhead had resigned “as Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee, and therefore the leadership of the Council.”
The statement continued saying that Cllr Margaret Warwick will take over as acting leader of the Council until the next full council meeting in May.
It would then be for all members to elect a new leader who under the new modernised structure would appoint their own cabinet.
Cllr Redheads resignation means his replacement will be the fourth leader after Mike Brundle quit in 2000, and the interim leader Cllr Jennifer Hart was voted out.
Cllr Redhead resigned from the Conservative party along with Cllr Brian Lockwood, and they have formed a new Independent Conservative party. The Conservatives have now seen three leading figures at the Borough to resign following Mike Brundle and Jennifer Hart.
The situation at County Hall is not much better with Sue Sida-Lockett expressing deep concerns over the lack of democracy at the county council. The statement came after the coalition Labour Liberal Democrat ruling group excluded opposition members from the powerful executive committee.
Mrs Sida-Lockett plans to continue her work for the party through the regional assembly and a number of other bodies. She said she felt her time would be better spent outside of the county council.
Mrs Sida-Lockett will remain a county councillor.
The announcement of Cllr Redheads resignation was made by St Edmunsbury borough Council Chief Executive Debroah Cadman. In the statement she said: Mr Redhead had resigned “as Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee, and therefore the leadership of the Council.”
The statement continued saying that Cllr Margaret Warwick will take over as acting leader of the Council until the next full council meeting in May.
It would then be for all members to elect a new leader who under the new modernised structure would appoint their own cabinet.
Cllr Redheads resignation means his replacement will be the fourth leader after Mike Brundle quit in 2000, and the interim leader Cllr Jennifer Hart was voted out.
Cllr Redhead resigned from the Conservative party along with Cllr Brian Lockwood, and they have formed a new Independent Conservative party. The Conservatives have now seen three leading figures at the Borough to resign following Mike Brundle and Jennifer Hart.
The situation at County Hall is not much better with Sue Sida-Lockett expressing deep concerns over the lack of democracy at the county council. The statement came after the coalition Labour Liberal Democrat ruling group excluded opposition members from the powerful executive committee.
Mrs Sida-Lockett plans to continue her work for the party through the regional assembly and a number of other bodies. She said she felt her time would be better spent outside of the county council.
Mrs Sida-Lockett will remain a county councillor.
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