New Tory leader hits back after power loss
THE new leader of the Conservative group on Cheshire East has hit back after the Tories lost control of the council and expressed disappointment the Independents are working with Labour.
Councillor Janet Clowes added she was ‘deeply sceptical that hard-working Cheshire East tax payers in areas such as Knutsford, Wilmslow and Alderley Edge expected the hard-left to now be in control of their council’.
Her comments sparked an angry backlash from residents and some councillors, who said they seemed to dismiss other less well-off areas such as Macclesfield and imply people there were not hard-working.
But Coun Clowes defended herself saying her comments had been misinterpreted. And they were not a reference not to wealth but to areas that had voted Tory but got a Labour-Independent coalition in control.
She was voted in as Conservative group leader following the resignation of Rachel Bailey.
In a statement Coun Clowes - who many had expected would lead the council - said: “Following a week of intense discussion and negotiations between all three group leaders and defining a solution that was acceptable to both the Labour group leader and myself , the decision of the Independent Group to form a coalition with the Labour Party is clearly disappointing.
“It was evident throughout the local election campaign that residents are frustrated and angry over the failure of Government to deliver Brexit.
“We saw this on the doorstep and I believe it influenced many residents in the polling stations.
“However, voting on national issues has now resulted in many committed Conservative councillors, who worked incredibly hard for their constituents, losing their positions.”
Among those to go in Macclesfield were Beverley Dooley, Liz Durham, Gareth Jones and Ainsley Arnold.
Coun Clowes added: “Together with local Conservatives, I share the frustration of residents over the Westminster Brexit impasse, but am deeply sceptical that hard-working Cheshire East tax payers in areas such as Knutsford, Wilmslow and Alderley Edge expected the hard-left to now be in control of their council.”
With reference to the fact the new leader elect and his deputy Craig Browne (Independent) have decided to give the Conservatives control of the scrutiny committees, Coun Clowes added: “Through our scrutiny functions we will ensure that the new administration is held to account and residents’ best interests are represented.”
Cheshire East has always been Conservative controlled since it was formed in 2009.
The Conservatives lost overall control at this month’s elections but still remain the largest group on the council with 34 seats. Labour has 25 seats, the Independents 19 and the Liberal Democrats have four.