Tory in-fighting descends into farce in Tunbridge Wells

Few would dispute that Roy Bullock, Leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, is a controversial figure. I was elected to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council the same day as Roy in 1996 and heard and saw him in action for four years at full council meetings and planning meetings.

One certainly knew where Roy stood on proposals; no mealy-mouthed waffle. However he could be blunt to the point of rudeness, although it was more his manner than his intention.

Elections for the position of Leader have been contested since the Leader & Cabinet system replaced the committee system. On one occasion one vote separated three candidates.  Others may be able to discern if the contests were over policy differences within the Conservative Group or about personal ambition.

The current position is unique in the annals of Tunbridge Wells politics, outdoing by a country mile the dissent within the Liberal Democrat Group when it controlled the Council.

Rumblings within the Conservative Party have been heard for some time.  Decisions concerning the future of the former council offices in Cranbrook  led to the emergence of a faction which has gone so far as to deselect the current chairman of the Conservative Group.

In Tunbridge Wells a number of issues, as listed in previous posts, have threads running through them of  lack of public consultation and secrecy, led finally to the Conservative Group approving and ratifying a resolution of no confidence in the Leader.

Instead of resigning, the Leader  has remained in post awaiting the election of a new Leader.  The Deputy Leader of the Council resigned and condemned the leader for not stepping down immediately after the vote of  no confidence.  She argued that whilst his action may be constitutionally legitimate, he had lost  political legitimacy as he did not have the support of a majority of the Conservative Group.  However it is understood the result of the vote was close and it may be it is this that has encouraged Cllr Bullock to soldier on and put himself forward as a candidate at the forthcoming Leadership election.

We know there will be three candidates at the forthcoming election.  There was to have been a fourth, but he withdrew from the fray on the grounds that had there been four candidates the winner of the election might have been elected with only a small number of votes. But, as stated above, at a previous Leader election only one vote separated the three candidates. It could happen again.

Clearly Cllr Bullock still has friends.  A former Conservative councillor has come out strongly in favour of Cllr Bullock and supports his stance on the need for regeneration. He suggests that the successor to Roy Bullock is likely to be a 'supine nonentity'.

So, what will the outcome? Suppose Roy Bullock wins by a narrow margin? All the in-fighting and public self-flagellation by the Conservatives will have been in vain. The other two candidates do not inspire confidence that they will drive through the changes needed to ensure the future economic prosperity of Tunbridge Wells.  The risk is that one of them will be supportive of the aspic, baby boomer creche brigade. One of the candidates has stated that, despite his lack of political experience, he will bring the factions together.  Really. He has stated also that the civic complex will not be demolished unless it is what people want 'beyond all doubt'.  Beyond all doubt? Juries in criminal cases should only bring in a guilty verdict if they are satisfied beyond reasonable doubt.  So, is this candidate sending a coded message that regeneration is a non-starter or is it, as I suspect, lack of political experience?

As I have argued before the problem is that concerns about consultation and secrecy have been conflated with the issues surrounding the future economic and social well-being of the Borough.

I cannot help but feel that should Roy Bullock lose his position as Leader, we shall be in for a period of vacillation and compromise which will not be good for the Borough.  The Tories may keep control and pander to the aspic tendency but the citizens will lose out eventually as Tunbridge Wells sinks. The Conservative Group could and should have resolved the Leadership issue months ago.  By their lethargy they condemn themselves, but much more seriously they have given succour to the aspic brigade.