Full Council tonight - by the way I sit in the empty red chair to the left in this old photo.
Very thin agenda with just the Corporate Plan as a substantive item - something I asked to be transferred to Full Council rather than Cabinet last month.
However, as its basically the 2009 Tory election manifesto - school reorganisation (bad), highways PFI delivery (good), service transformation (not sure yet), social care personalisation (good), economic development measures (mixed), local affordable housing (not enough), fire service modernisation (good) - there was no doubt as to it being agreed;
which it was with 25 in favour (all Tories and some independents), 3 against - me and the 2 Liberals present out of their group of 5 (and neither said anything on the Plan), and 4 abstentions (all independents).
The anticipated row over the Scrutiny Chair didn't emerge as Cllr Churchman did the right thing and resigned before the meeting. So the Tories weren't able to throw her out, which would have undermined the principle of an Opposition Chair.
I received a re-assurance that she will be replaced at January Council by someone nominated from the Opposition ranks again, though I made it clear again that I am not interested if the committee is to continue without an Opposition majority - see my resignation reasons from this post back in April/May 2007. No doubt someone else will emerge from the Independent group.
After that it was questions to Cabinet members - the vitally important bit where they are accountable to the Council in public. I asked a question of the Leader about cost cutting in Council support for the Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day ceremonies in Newport this year - basically denied; and about the proposed Newport 'pole-dancing' club being located near a school - was taken into account when approved.........
And an early finish at 7.30pm.
NB Still loads of Tory councillors rarely, if ever, speaking in debates !
