Bridgend Tories ‘in free fall’ after key figures quit
THREE members of the Conservative group on Bridgend council have resigned, leading to accusations from Labour that the group is in “absolute free fall”.
The loss of Councillor Ken Watts, formerly the leader of the Tory group, and mother-andson councillors Julia and Alex Williams from the group means the party is no longer the official opposition.
It is likely that an independent group will now take on the role.
The Change for Bridgend group, which put up independent candidates at the local elections, said “this sorry episode reinforces our position that national parties have no place in local government”.
Coun Watts has denied the move was in protest at the UK Government’s scrapping of the electrification of the mainline between Cardiff and Swansea.
And while he would only say that it was an “internal” matter, a Conservative party source said there had been ongoing upset in the group following the central party’s imposition of Karen Robson from Cardiff as the general election candidate above local member Alex Williams.
News of the resignations emerged following a council meeting last Wednesday at which a majority of councillors backed a motion proposed by Labour councillor David White to write to the Secretaries of State and Welsh Government highlighting their concerns over the scrapping of electrification.
The motion called for the decision to be reversed due to the “significant long-term economic and environmental consequences for Bridgend”.
Coun Watts, the member for Newton in Porthcawl, had abstained from the vote but Coun Julia Williams, whose ward is Hendre, voted for it.
Coun Alex Williams, Penprysg, was not in attendance at the meeting as he was on holiday.
Posting on Facebook after the meeting, Coun Watts said his resignation had “nothing to do with the announcement of the non electrification”.
He said his resignation followed an “internal discussion” and that he would remain a member of the Conservative party but sit independent of the group.
Also posting on Facebook, Coun Alex Williams blamed “an internal party dispute and ongoing personality clashes which has regrettably made my continued involvement in the party untenable”.
He added: “I will now sit as an independent councillor and continue to represent all of my constituents to the best of my ability. My over-riding aim has not changed and I will work hard to represent everyone in the Penprysg ward, putting residents rather than party first.”
Commenting on the resignations, Ogmore MP Chris Elmore said: “The Tories are in absolute free fall in Bridgend. It’s clear that many Conservative councillors have begun to oppose the Westminster party’s attitude towards Wales in recent months, but this is beyond chaotic with the group leader and two senior councillors resigning.
“It seems the local To- ries need something as major as the scrapping of rail electrification to realise that Theresa May’s Government is treating Wales as a second-class satellite nation.”
Ogmore AM Huw Irranca-Davies said: “The Conservative UK Government’s decision on rail electrification seems to have been the last straw for some Bridgend councillors, and it’s thrown the Tory group here into total chaos.
“Just how many resignations of elected Conservative members this side of Offa’s Dyke will it take to persuade Teresa May to pay proper attention to the needs and interests of Wales?”
Martin Williams chairman of the Change for Bridgend group, said: “The council chamber is no place for political point scoring, particularly when BCBC are facing an £800,000 education budget cut and the waste collection shambles continues.
“The irony of this situation is that prior to May’s election independents were accused of being a “rag tag and bobtail” group that couldn’t possibly work together, yet it seems it’s the political parties who are struggling to maintain unity and the independents who are offering constructive yet robust scrutiny and challenge to the ruling group.
“Whilst it is the Conservatives who are in disarray we are dismayed to