A senior member of the former Tory administration on Cheshire West and Chester Council has hit out at his chief Mike Jones for failing to provide ‘proper leadership’ leading to humiliating defeat in the May 7 elections.
Cllr Mark Stocks, former executive member for children and families, says ‘someone has to take the responsibility for what must be considered a monumental defeat’ given CWaC was the only Conservative council in the country overthrown by Labour.
And Cllr Stocks attacked the Tory leader and senior colleagues for their lack of respect and professionalism in the wake of his unsuccessful move to challenge Cllr Jones for the leadership of the group.
His outburst against not only Cllr Jones but deputy Tory leader Cllr Eveleigh Moore Dutton and chief whip Cllr Mark Williams will anger and embarrass the group’s leadership, especially as it comes from someone previously viewed as a loyalist and a senior member of the old administration.
He told The Chronicle in a statement: “I stood against Councillor Mike Jones because on a day when the country decided that the Conservative direction was the right direction, Cheshire West and Chester fell.
“As the only council in the entire country to make the transition from Conservative to Labour, someone has to take the responsibility for what must be considered a monumental defeat. This responsibility has to start at the top.
“For me, it is an unavoidable belief that with proper leadership, Cheshire West and Chester would have followed the national trend and remained under Conservative control.
‘My decision was not made through a desire for personal gain, but at the request of my senior colleagues who have seen me continually re-elected for over 20 years. I was fully aware of the risks I was taking and the repercussions it could have.
“In light of the results, Cllr Mike Jones, Cllr Eveleigh Moore Dutton and Cllr Mark Williams made a decision regarding the appointment of committee places.
“No contact was made by these councillors to myself, apart from a mere email informing me through the absence of my name on the committee list that I had lost my position as group spokesman of Children and Families Directorate; sent only hours before the group meeting.
“This exhibits a complete lack of respect towards a senior member who has seen safeguarding, school examination results and capital investment in school infrastructure all significantly improve across the borough. Furthermore, this circumstance does not only apply to myself, again highlighting the councillors’ lack of professionalism in this matter.
‘However, I do not regret my decision to stand as leader of the Conservative group, as a dramatic change of direction is required to re-connect with the electorate; especially in the areas of Chester and Ellesmere Port. Therefore, such risks have to be taken.”
Speaking immediately after Labour took control with its tiny one seat majority, Cllr Jones, who handed over the leadership of the council to Cllr Samantha Dixon at the annual meeting last Thursday, said he would ‘give some consideration’ to his own future but it ultimately came down to the decision of members.
In a joint response issued this week in relation to Cllr Stocks’ statement, Cllrs Jones, Moore Dutton and Williams criticised their colleague for breaking the rules by speaking out publicly.
They said: “Firstly, we have no problem with the fact that the Conservative Party rules provide for an annual election for the leadership and deputy leadership of the Conservative councillor groups. This is normal for us.
“However there is a clear expectation that all the group members should accept and respect the outcome. That is the basis of democracy. It is really sad that Cllr Stocks seems unable to do so at present.
“Secondly, addressing the claim of a ‘monumental defeat’, it is worth noting that (as reported by Chester Chronicle) the Ashcroft polling had been predicting that both Chester and Weaver Vale constituencies would return Labour MPs.
“In the event Chester lost by the slimmest of margins and Weaver Vale was retained for the Conservatives. It is therefore logical to assume that there would be a similar effect on the local authority seats electing on the same day.
“When looked at alongside the fact that there were more Conservative votes than Labour cast across the borough this does not seem like a catastrophe.
“It is regrettable, though, especially at a time when residents have benefitted from frozen council tax, the protection of frontline services, significant investment in schools, sports centres and roads and strong economic growth with one of the largest reductions of unemployment in the country.
‘Finally, regarding the claim that the appointment of places was done without any contact is not accurate. All members were asked to contact the whip indicating their interest in the still undetermined number of places to be filled. Cllr Stocks indicated no such interest.
“Perhaps more of an effort could have been made to enquire about this apparent lack of interest but it should also be remembered that we were dealing with a rapidly changing situation in a very compressed time frame.”
■ Cllr Jones features in the latest edition of Private Eye in an article which begins: “So. Farewell to the Tory regime at Cheshire West and Chester Council, which bucked the national trend with a 3.2% Con to Lab swing on 7 May. Although former council leader Mike Jones kept his seat, many in Chester believe his many own goals over the years handed victory to Labour.”
