New leader, new approach at the city council?

If, as the old saying goes, a week is a long time in politics, then 19 years is a veritable eternity. But that is how long Gerald Vernon-Jackson has been leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Portsmouth Council. And of course, 15 of those have been as council leader.

While Cllr Vernon-Jackson has announced he is stepping down as leader, it would be premature to write his political eulogy just yet. After all, he only won reelection to Milton ward in last week’s local elections, and he will remain a member of the cabinet.

Local politics can be a thankless task – there will be members of the public who expect you to be on call 24/7, and their expectations of what you can and can’t do or have control over may bear little resemblance to reality (see how often that old canard about the council building university housing comes up, when it is in fact responsible for none of it). Nor is it, as many people think, massively well paid. Of course there are extra allowances for group leaders and certain other roles, but it is a long way from the money our MPs earn.

It is therefore no surprise to hear that Cllr VernonJackson wants to cut back from the ‘60-70 hour’ weeks he says he currently puts in.

His time in charge hasn’t been free from controversy – witness the fallout from the end of Mike Hancock’s political career – but we can’t doubt his passion for the city. He was closely involved in the fights to save the naval base and the football club.

With his fellow Milton ward Cllr Steve Pitt looking likely to take over as leader, we have someone who has proved his willingness to throw himself into local politics.

While the Lib Dem group grew as a result of the recent election they still don’t have a majority.

Will it be a new leader and new approach to things?

Only time will tell, but we trust they will always act in the city’s best interests.