Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
‘Disarray’ as Tories lose majority
The local Conservative Party is in “disarray” after defections caused the group to lose its majority at Canterbury City Council.
Less than a month before local elections, three councillors have now ditched the Tories to sit under the new banner of the Independent Serve to Lead Group (ISLG).
Cllr Ashley Clark handed council leader Ben Fitter-harding his resignation last week to found the group with fellow councillor Colin Spooner, who was ejected from the ruling party in February.
Cllr Clark says he has become disillusioned with the Conservative Party on a national level and disagreed with important aspects of the local plan - its housing blueprint for the district.
“The Conservative Party has let down the public appallingly,” said Cllr Clark.
“The local plan is not balanced and it’s the wrong way around - it’s all about building all the houses first and putting the infrastructure second. “Ben Fitter-harding has has an incredibly difficult job and
certain proposals in the plan are visionary, but I really think we could have taken a different direction in regards to housing.” With a total of 38 seats in CCC, the changes have reduced the Conservatives’ numbers from
20 to 17, meaning they no longer hold the majority of seats. With just a few weeks left of the current administration, the defections are unlikely to have much impact on council operations.
Cllr Fitter-harding said the councillors in question were pushed to form their own group after being deselected for the upcoming election. “None of the councillors who have departed the Conservative
group have been selected to stand as Conservatives in this election, which is why they have been gradually falling away to start their own campaigns. “They may state various motivations, but I am sure they would have remained with the Conservative Party should they have been successful in being selected.
“And while I would not speak ill of my former colleagues, their replacements being stood by the Conservatives for CCC in this election are experienced, energetic and ready to be the voice of the electorate in the council chamber.
“I will continue to serve as leader until the end of this council, and firmly believe that our promise to the electorate to Do the Basics Brilliantly will see the Conservatives returned for another term.”
Rival parties say the defections represent a major failure for Cllr Fitter-harding, who has led the council since 2020.
“The Conservatives have lost their majority, and Ben Fitter-harding lost whatever was left of his crumbling mandate to lead,” said Liberal Democrat deputy leader, Mike Sole.
“If even his own councillors are deserting the Conservative Party, how can he possibly expect local residents to vote Conservative on May 4?” Likewise, Labour’s Alan Baldock said: “The Canterbury Conservative Party has collapsed just weeks before the local election.
“Ben Fitter-harding has lost overall control of the council and any legitimacy that remained with him.” Green Party councillor Clare Turnbull added that it was “disappointing to see local representatives fighting amongst themselves”.
While independent councillor Terry Westgate, who left the Tories two years ago, said he wasn’t surprised others had followed suit “because of the way the Conservatives have been doing things”.
“The Conservatives have done nothing new for the city for the last two years since I became an independent.
“How they’re going to win a single seat, I don’t know.” The Independent Serve to Lead Group also includes former Tories Anne Dekker and Peter Vickery-jones.
Visit the city council's website to view lists of candidates standing for election to the authority, and the contested parish councils of Kingston and Fordwich.