Monday, February 19, 2018

Goodbye as Chris Wells answers his own question

Thanet District Council posted a long-winded press release which is contained below describing the last occurrences for Chris Wells as leader of Thanet District Council.

Apart from Chris Wells and a few of his cabinet colleagues I doubt there'll be many tears shed, Chris Wells and his co UKIP colleagues were elected in the main not only because of their right wing views but because they claimed that they would be strongly supporting the campaign to have Manston Airport reopened and not as he latterly supported a housing estate.

To councillor Wells credit I feel that during his time in office as leader there have been fewer financial calamities than has been seen in other administration's but really he should have gone a long time ago if he stood on a platform of Supporting Manston and then quickly folded to the propaganda of outsiders he should have still stood aside for one of his colleagues who was capable of following election promises.

NEWS RELEASE

Thanet District Council Leader, Cllr Chris Wells and Cllr Bob Bayford (Leader of the Conservative group), met on Friday 9 February 2018 to discuss the changed group arrangements within the Council Chamber. Cllr Bayford indicated as Leader of the largest group he would move to form a fresh administration. Cllr Wells agreed to step aside to minimise disruption and maintain stability at the council by ensuring a vote for a new Leader without the disruption of a vote of no confidence.

Cllr Bayford said: "This is an appropriate way to recognise the changed council groupings and a sensible way forward following the fault lines that emerged across the Chamber during the Local Plan vote of 18 January 2018."


Cllr Wells has today (Monday 19 February) given formal notice of resignation as of Wednesday 28 February, allowing the calling of an extraordinary council meeting to take place on Thursday 1 March to elect a new Leader for Thanet District Council. Deputy Leader, Cllr Lin Fairbrass will be Acting Leader for the period between the resignation taking effect and the results of the Leadership election.

Cllr Wells said: "It has been a rare privilege to lead this council through some difficult times, facing declining budgets and increasing demand for services. My resignation recognises a simple fact of political life, that an administration needs to win votes to get policy through, and an administration supported by 13 or so of 56 Councillors would be a highly unstable proposition. The uncertainty that would create damages the smooth running of the council, something so many have worked so hard to maintain in challenging times."


Given the next stage will be a Full Council decision to elect a new Leader, neither Cllr Wells nor the council will comment further until the result of that election is known.

2 comments:

  1. So who now Tony? Another UKIP member or a Tory? Maybe first we should hear how they are going to save the airport.

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  2. Clearly the only way the airport is going to be saved is by cooperating with RiverOak. Since they are the only ones in the game who take a traditional view of business which involves improving, modifying and developing the core business. Alternative so far has seen assets sold off, a plan to build houses to maximise the land value, leaving what would be a hideous lump of concrete ie the runway with no value but referred to as a heritage runway, to divert attention from the fact but it's far too expensive two dig up and return to something more environmentally friendly.

    Imagine the replacement for Chris Wells could well be Bayford, but clearly some short Coalition of members of required

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