Friday 29 March 2013

Political Identity in Thorpe Ward?

The letters page (29th March) of the Southend Echo have featured various correspondants denouncing the decision of Councillor Allex Kaye to join (or re-join) the Conservative Party.

I felt obliged to join in this debate and have sent this letter to the Echo -

There would appear be severe problems with political identity in the Thorpe Ward. Councillor Kaye has decided that she is a Tory after all and rejoined the party.

The chairman of the Burges Estate Residents, attacks this decision as betrayal of the people of Thorpe Bay who elected her as an independent. However, Mr Woodley seems to be having identity problems of his own, as he is also an independent councillor for the Ward.

The Thorpe independent councillors signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tory Group on Southend Council.  I’m not sure that voters in the Thorpe Ward will be able to differentiate between independents and Tories at the next Council elections.

I am also bemused by the call by Councillor Martin Terry for Councillor Kay to resign and stand in a by-election as a Conservative. He will resign from his current Council seat and stand as the independents candidate. A very strange political judgement on his part, unless the Westborough Ward has finally grown tired of the independents and theie machinations. As I've said before, Martin is clearly drowning and not waving.