OH DEAR........OH DEAR .....

After referring the suspiciously decided Planning application (see my yesterdays blog) to the national Standards Board last Monday, the leader of the Council today offered his resignation to the Tory group - and they accepted it. Also resigning at what must have been an even more blood-soaked Tory Group meeting than usual are the Deputy Leader Cllr Joyce and and his sidekick Cabinet member for Children's Services, Cllr Swan.

At Full Council tonight Cllr David Pugh - the baby faced assassin, as the comment on my last post describes him ? - was elected Leader, with Cllr George Brown as Deputy. Only Deborah and I opposed, with the other 'opposition' members abstaining. Cllr Alan Wells takes on the Childrens Services portfolio. Further Cabinet changes will be announced later. Cllr Sutton is going to be some sort of mainland emissary - just like fallen patricians were exiled from Rome, to prevent them getting revenge.

One thing you should never do is offer to resign unless you are certain it won't be accepted. Otherwise, just resign and have done without any messing around.

I suspect the style of the new leader will be less abrasive than his predecessor, but the substance will change not one jot.

After that the Full Council tonight was quite subdued. Deborah and I were our usual difficult selves - voting against Tory policies, whilst the Liberals and Independents generally supported them.

My plea to know something about the latest mysterious people appointed to the local Standards Committee was treated as if I was asking for nuclear secrets. That committee is seriously worrying me under its new direction.

A new Housing Strategy that failed to convince me that the Council will up its game in actual delivery of affordable housing for Islanders was carried with only Deborah and I against. Warm words don't provide roofs.

I asked Pugh about the Undercliff enquiry and was told that it is drawing to a conclusion. Amazing how we still don't get briefed on anything. I also asked him when, if ever, we were going to get a non-Tory Chair of the Tory-controlled new Scrutiny Committee, and was told that he wants to re-engage with opposition members of the Council !

Finally I got a commitment from Cllr Cousins that the NHS Trust's recent decision to conduct much of its financial decision-making behing closed doors - as reported in the press a few weeks ago - was something she would raise with them as part of their close working. She told me 'my point was well made'. I look forward to the response.

And so a new era dawns. To think, just one year the now ex-Leader was berating me at Full Council for being an atheist. Live by the sword - die by the sword ! Who next.......