Former council leader to resign as councillor
FORMER Cardiff Council leader Phil Bale says he will resign as a councillor this autumn.
Councillor Bale, who led the authority from 2014-17, says he is stepping away from politics after seven and a half years as a Labour councillor.
He said it was a “huge honour” to have led the authority and to have represented his ward of Llanishen and Thornhill.
Cllr Bale said he was proud of what he achieved as leader, despite his time in office being marred by divisions within the Labour group.
He said: “I want to try a new challenge. I’ve been on the backbenches since the election and I feel I’ve got a lot more to give and energy and ideas. I want to be in a space or organisation where I can do something about that.
“It has been the hardest decision of my life [to resign from the council]. I think it’s the right decision to move on.
“Not many people get to be leader of their home city. I took that opportunity with both hands. I’m just very glad I had the chance and we achieved so much during that time.”
Cllr Bale’s time in office ended with his ousting in 2017 when the authority’s current leader Huw Thomas took over.
Councillor Thomas said the Labour group is sorry Cllr Bale is standing down, while opposition leaders have expressed surprise but recalled the “bitter divisions” within his party when he was leader.
In Cllr Bale’s turbulent time as leader, he faced a cross-party vote of no confidence at a budget meeting in 2015, followed by leadership challenges in May 2015 and 2016.
Cllr Bale’s leadership was criticised from across the council chamber, but also often by his own party colleagues.
Cllr Bale said he is proud to have improved the performance of council services, particularly education, which was facing special measures when he took over, and to have built better relationships with the council’s partners.
He said: “It’s very important that we took the council from being one of the worst in Wales to one of the most improved. It was very hard to do that.
“It’s very important despite austerity cuts and managing difficult budgets to put money into services that people care about rather than knee-jerk reactions about closing services quickly.
“I’m very, very proud of what we achieved in a short period of time.”
Cllr Bale said he respected the decision of the Labour group to replace him as leader and he has continued to work as part of the team since.
He said: “I absolutely knew when I stood in 2014 for the leadership of the Labour group in the council that I faced some furious challenges from some quarters. But for me, that was not a reason not to do something.
“What was more important was that we were able to take the council forward from a period of crisis to a period of stability and innovation and success.”
Cllr Bale said his highlights as a ward councillor include campaigning to save Llanishen Reservoir from development, securing investment in the new library and community hub in the area, and his efforts to secure a green wedge to protect land on Caerphilly Mountain.
Cllr Bale, who has not fixed a date for his departure, said he would take some time out travelling and did not rule out a return to politics in the future.
Councillor Adrian Robson, leader of the Conservatives on Cardiff Council, said: “It’s a surprise Phil has decided not to serve his council term. It’s never easy to be leader of the council and the role should never be underestimated.
“Phil saw an opportunity to become council leader and got the backing of the Labour group. However, unfortunately, his time in office was marked by bitter division within Labour.
“On many occasions he had to back down because he did not have the confidence of his group to take forward policies he wanted to achieve.”
Councillor Joe Boyle, leader of the Liberal Democrats on the council, also said Cllr Bale’s departure is a surprise.
He said: “We know that it got tense within the Labour group when he took over as leader and when he was deposed. Some of these pressures may have borne in his decision.
“He had interesting things to say on how the city grows in a resilient way.
“He has been an important voice. I like him and I wish him well.”
Cllr Thomas said: “As a Labour family, we were all sorry to learn that Phil has decided to stand down, and we wish him well for the future.
“Whilst he and I had our disagreements, I never for a second doubted his passion for Cardiff, and he served the city and in his own ward of Llanishen with commitment and energy.
“The residents of Llanishen now need another Labour councillor to serve them with the same diligence, and help protect them from the ongoing Tory assault on their standard of living.”