New group for independents ‘who put ward and town first’
THIS IS ABOUT GIVING COUNCILLORS A VOICE, SAYS FOUNDER
A NEW independent political group has been set up in Middlesbrough despite two independent groups already existing.
Middlesbrough Independent Group (MIG) has been set up by deputy mayor, Cllr Antony High, as a new political group within the council despite the existence of the 17-member-strong Middlesbrough Independent Councillors Association (MICA) and the twomember Marton Independent Group.
MIG currently has four councillors - all former MICA members.
Cllrs Antony High, Ashley Waters and Lee Garvey resigned from MICA in June followed by Cllr Carolyn Dodds who quit the group earlier this month saying she wanted to be “truly independent”.
“This is an opportunity for people with true independent voices who want to put their ward and Middlesbrough first,” said Cllr High.
“There are some really good, dedicated members who are really keen to play an active role on committees but, because of the way the system works, are prevented from doing so as isolated independents.
“This group will have no alternative agenda, it is solely about helping give independent councillors a voice on committees.”
In an email sent to councillors, Cllr High said: “The intention is provide a safe, supportive, structured environment for individuals who are wanting to solely remain independent in their aims and to strongly represent their own ward and wider Middlesbrough.
“A group that will put our people’s needs first, before party or local politics.
“I am greatly aware that individuals with keen interests for committees and key areas of delivery within the local authority run the risk of not holding onto key positions to better improve the delivery for the town.”
The email added that a group meeting to elect a leader would follow.
Reacting to the news, MICA leader, Cllr Jon Rathmell, said: “Each member left MICA with the reason, ‘they cannot be in a group and be truly independent’; for some this ‘true independence’ lasted only days.
“The MICA group was created and has operated as the Middlesbrough Independent Group are wanting to.
“In fact MICA have some of the hardest working councillors and community-minded councillors in Middlesbrough within their ranks.
“MICA members pride themselves on the way they have remained honest to the electorate from day one, all of this indecisive behaviour by MIG will no doubt concern the electorate.”
Labour group leader, Cllr Matthew Storey, said: “As always it makes no sense that so-called ‘independents’ form groups. Hardly showing much independence are they?
“Now there are three different groups of supposed ‘independents’ which just highlights the fact that the only coherent political party representing residents of our town is the Labour Party.”
Conservative group leader Cllr David Coupe said: “Elected members are better off in some sort of group rather than sitting as individuals.
“Being in a group gives them some sort of voice and so I understand the decision.”
As things stand, Labour remain the largest single group in the council with 20 members - still not enough to command a majority. At its height, following local elections on May 2 this year, MICA was briefly the largest group in Middlesbrough Council with 21 members.
But within weeks, MICA member Cllr Jan Mohan had resigned from the group and as a councillor despite having just been named a member of Mayor Andy Preston’s executive.
Then in June, three more Antony High, Ashley Waters and Lee Garvey - also resigned from MICA bringing the group’s numbers down to 17.
In July, MICA held the Park End and Beckfield seat left vacant by Cllr Mohan when MICA candidate, Stephen Hill, won with a clear majority, bringing group membership back up to 18.
But Cllr Dodds’ resignation once again reduced MICA’s numbers to 17.
Following the creation of MIG, the rest of Middlesbrough Council is made up of four MIG members, two members of Marton Independents Group, two independents unaffiliated with a political group (including Mayor Andy Preston) and two Conservative members.