Climate changes as bad blood boils over at Newark Town Council

A row that has been brewing within the political DNA of Newark Town Council erupted in spectacular fashion.

Members of the alliance of independents and Labour were visibly taken aback when Conservative Group leader David Lloyd laid into the attendance records of some members who he termed agitators.

Mr Lloyd said the Conservatives had delivered a manifesto while the party of opposition.

He was addressing full council, a hung authority with no overall party political control, during an agenda item to elect a third chairman of finance and general purposes from the alliance side in a year.

That honour went to Diane Ledger, who Mr Lloyd said he had no doubt would make a good chairman.

But, tearing into the alliance members absent from the meeting, he said: "Yet again we, in a position of opposition, are being asked to support something to try and make us a council try to go forward.

"We should not be in that position.

"It is our votes that are required again.

"There are agitators of the past not here again. Lettind down their representatives, their colleagues and this council.

"We are totally committed to pushing through the work of this council. We don't do party politics. There are sheep on this council and that's totally perverse.

"We have always worked with you as best we can. We have kept it constructive over the last three to four years because that's what has been needed. However, it's getting wearisome.

"It is our wisdom, our budgets, our manifesto that has been delivered to the populous from being a party in opposition.

"I commend the members who do attend but if your side continues to allow the input of agitators who fail to even attend or lacks the wisdom or the guile to do what you were elected to do, there is a problem. And, as I say, a wearisome one.

"We are principalled, we are strong those that question the work of the town council answer not to me, but to the electorate, but don't critique us."

Conservative Mathew Skinner said: "I have never known such a turbulent time on this council.

"Dare I say this council is going a bit stale?"

Gesturing to the empty public gallery seats, he added: "We often say we want more residents on this side. If they came, they would be in for a shock."

Town Mayor Laurence Goff, presiding over the meeting, said there had been a sustained period of absence from meetings would mean a councillor was kicked off the council.

While Conservative Max Cope said: "It used to be that 'apologies' were offered not 'received' and it was up to the council to decide whether or not they were accepted."

Mr Lloyd made mention of some councillors who were elected under a particular banner only then to relinquish it. This was true of councillors Esther Cropper and Jay Henderson who were both elected as Greens, but are now independents.

Both were at the meeting and not the agitators Mr Lloyd had referred to.

The alliance was accused of not implementing the climate change strategy group that followed the declaration of a climate emergency, described by Mr Lloyd, given their green agenda, as the height of disingenuity.

"Something we have not exposed for three years," he said.

Labour's Jane Olson said: "This is a council for Newark town residents. I have found it objectionable. We have done the best that we can."

Labour's Lisa Geary said: "I would like to point out to the leader of the opposition that when I joined this council in 2019 I voted to have a climate change committee.

"I think it due to the behaviour of others that we have been thwarted."

Jay Henderson said: "There has been a great deal of hard work done on this council, done with a great deal of enthusiasm.

"Also with regards to agitation, there have been so many roadblocks to so many people. To say there is no party politics is rubbish and disingenuous to say otherwise.

"It is sad that serving on this council has reached the point of being so incredibly frustrated."