Saturday 3 March 2012

Tories at war over Conwy Council tax rise.

It seems the Tories of Conwy are at war - A report in today's Daily Post says:

"THERE were calls yesterday for three councillors to be expelled from the Conservative Party for voting for a 4% council tax rise.

The Conwy County Councillors voted with other parties for the rise last month because they felt it would have been illegal not to do so and set a budget...."


You may recall from an earlier post by me Ynys Môn Council Tax - some context that Conwy County Council had in the financial year 2011-2012 and average Band D Council Tax rates the 4th lowest rate in Wales.

You may also recall the big fuss the Tories made when the Commissioners whom run the executive function of Ynys Môn, following consultation made a final recommendation that the Ynys Môn Council element of the Council Tax should increase by 4.5%

I think all you need to say about Conwy’s Tory group leader and Clwyd West Conservative Association chairman Cllr William Knightly; is to quote him directly from the Daily Post, when asked about the fact that Cllr Merfyn Thomas had resigned from his group and will stand as an Independent in May’s local elections:

He is “disappointed” with the resignation of a “damn good councillor”.

Meanwhile Cllr Merfyn Thomas and former Conservative Councillor whom stood by what he believed was the correct choice for his constituents said to the Daily Post:

[...T]he 4% rise in 2012-2013 would be the equivalent to householders in a Band D property of buying “a Mars Bar” a week, not agreeing the rise and budget would have been illegal. Nor was there an alternative budget. He resigned because he didn’t want a whip on such issues.

An interesting concept of localism there by the Tories, which seems to say you can decide locally as long any decision taken concurs with policy set nationally.

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