So the Tories did their worst......
The Budget setting Full Council on Wednesday was long (4 hours), occasionally impassioned and ultimately heartless as the Tory budget proposals were eventually agreed by 19 votes to 14 with 1 Tory abstention - with the Chair not voting, 2 councillors suspended, 1 absent and 2 leaving before the final vote - all the Named Votes are detailed at the end of this post. Well done Bill Wyatt-Millington for having a conscience and abstaining.
The Budget amendment I had proposed with the assistance of some of the independent group went down by 20 votes to 15, which was a unity of all opposition councillors for the first time since the Tories were first elected back in 2005. The Liberal amendment lost by 20 votes to 10, with 5 independents preferring not to support it. I did.
The acting Chair decided to be entirely undemocratic and to deny me the concluding full 'right of reply' on my amendment, despite the fact that such rights of reply have been allowed at every Budget meeting that I have ever been part of or witnessed. They really must fear me - probably with good cause as Tory debating skills leave a lot to be desired.
Now it is the job of all opposition and Tory backbench councillors - all 33 of us who are on the margins of this Council - to make sure this cruel budget does not hurt vulnerable people as much as we fear and the Cabinet denies.
One last point - one Tory backbencher congratulated me on my contribution to the Budget debate when I bumped into them yesterday. He then asked me where I got all the information to propose an alternative as the likes of him weren't party to budget considerations..........
‘Named Votes’ were as follows:
LUMLEY/STEPHENS ALTERNATIVE BUDGET:
In favour – Lumley, Stephens, Bacon, Churchman, Downer, Dyer, Fuller, Humby, Welsford, Whittle, Barry, Howe, Knowles, Richards, Whittaker(A).(15) Joyce suspended
Against – All Tories – Pugh, Abraham, Bingham, Brown, Bulwer, Cameron, Cousins, Dixcey, Giles, Hobart, Hollis, Hunter-Henderson, Jones-Evans, Scoccia, Ward, Webster, White, Williams, Wyatt-Millington – and Whittaker(D).(20) – Taylor excluded due to prejudicial interest, Mazillius in Chair not voting, Peacey-Wilcox sent apologies, Sutton suspended
(Those in BOLD contributed to the debate)
LOST 15 votes to 20
***
LIBERAL DEMOCRAT AMENDMENT:
In favour – Barry, Howe, Knowles, Richards, Lumley, Bacon, Churchman, Fuller, Welsford, Whittaker(A). (10)
Against – same Tories and Whittaker(D). (20)
Abstained – Downer, Dyer, Humby, Stephens, Whittle (5)
LOST 10 votes to 20
***
CONSERVATIVE REVISED BUDGET PROPOSAL:
In favour – same Tories, except Wyatt-Millington. (19) – Taylor now voting, Whittaker(D) had left.
Against – Lumley, Stephens, Bacon, Churchman, Downer, Dyer, Fuller, Humby, Welsford, Whittle, Barry, Howe, Knowles, Richards. (14) – Whittaker (A) had left.
Abstained – Wyatt-Millington (Tory-Chale, Niton & Whitwell) (1)
APPROVED 19 votes to 14
***
Please save these for 2013……..
3 comments:
Fifteen Geoff, the beginning of the end, certainly Pugh's position looks more and more untenable re the Valentine's incident. I hear his colleagues may yet use this as an excuse to remove him and do a U turn on some of the cuts. Who would you expect to replace the boy thou? There is very little talent among the Tory ranks.
Bingham. Although some back her Cousins hasn't got the guts to stand.
I hear on the grapevine that Wyatt Millington is going to resign! Perhaps he's had enough! Can't see the Tories winning a by-election after that budget so that reduces the majority even further. Pugh's postion looks shakier by the minute.
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