No challenge as Conservatives continue to run Maidstone council

There is no change to the leadership of the county town’s borough council, despite Conservative losses at the local elections earlier this month.

Under the terms of Maidstone council’s constitution, last year’s leader, Conservative David Burton, was destined to stay in office unless there had been a vote of no confidence in him, even though his party is now in a minority, holding only 25 of the 55 seats.

But no such vote was proposed at this morning’s annual general meeting of Maidstone Borough Council held in the Town Hall, even though six Conservative councillors were absent from the meeting, meaning that the oppostition parties could have won such a vote if they had tried.

Before annoucing his new cabinet, Cllr Burton thanked former cabinet colleagues Cllrs Martin Round and Simon Webb for their service, saying they would not be re-joining the cabinet this year.

Cllr Webb recently came under fire, first for revealing in public detail’s of a council property deal which were supposed to be discussed in private session, and more recently with comments he made at a Kent County Council meeting about the parents of children with special needs; comments that have sparked national outrage from SEN famlies and personalities including the model Christine McGuinness, whose children have autism.

mpu1

Instead, Cllr Burton apppinted Cllrs John Perry as cabinet member for corporate services; Lottie Parftt-Reid for housing and health, Patrik Garten for environmental services, Claudine Russell for communities leisure and arts, and Paul Cooper for planning infrastructure and economic development.

Cllr Cooper will also be the deputy leader.

Later, members voted to elect Cllr Pauline Russell as chairman of the Maidstone Joint Transportation Board.

Cllr Burton spoke of the temporary housing crisis the council was facing, and of the huge financial challenges ahead as it tried to balance its books.

He said it was critical that Maidstone’s Local Plan – currently under-going a public examination – be adopted, but he was hopeful it would be.

Earlier, Cllr Gordon Newton (Ind) was elected to become Mayor of Maidstone, in place of the retiring Mayor Cllr Derek Mortimer.

The new Deputy Mayor is former Lib Dem leader, but now Independent, Cllr Martin Cox.