Comments on: Bad Night for Ealing Labour Group

By: Ian Gibb

Ian Gibb — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:02:30 +0000

It would be good to see a credible opposition, but this sort of behaviour is a million miles from that.

Instead of having a go at the Mayor, who is effectively non-political – they should be challenging the administration. Last night at Cabinet I presented reports on the Children and Young People’s Plan (a report that sets out what we want to deliver over the next few years regarding children – eg safegaurding in the light of Baby Peter etc) and an update on primary school places – showing that potentially we might need another 13 to 16 new forms of entry by 2012 on top of the 7 we’ve approved so far. Both strategically important with wide impacts but Labour didn’t bother to speak on either of these. Instead the only report that I presented that they wanted to discuss was a minor point on a report addressing improvements to the entrance to Greenford High School.

Another bad night for Labour in Ealing.

By: George

George — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:28:34 +0000

Either this little hissy fit was a dead cat bounce or the local Labour party has realised it at last wants to come out of its Michael Foot type wilderness.

We need to see a great deal more evidence of opposition activity before they can gain credibility.

By: Eric Leach

Eric Leach — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:20:26 +0000

Surely the Tories have stormed out of Council meetings in the past. Didn’t they do just that with regards the redevelopement of the Sinclair House site in West Ealing?

I think it’s quite healthy that Ealing’s Labour Party has finally sprung noisilly back into life – some 10 months from the Council elections.

Also just because the other ’side’ behaves badly it doesn’t give your side carte blanche to copy them. Show a bit of adult leadership here.

By: Jamie Smith

Jamie Smith — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:55:26 +0000

Sorry about my mistake. I was under the impression that there was an informal convention for alternation.

Anyway it is necessary for Cllr Cllr Yerolemou to regain control and the confidence of all if she is to remain in her capacity until next year irrespective of opportunist councillors who throw a tantrum once in a while.

By: Ian Gibb

Ian Gibb — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:43:02 +0000

Broke with tradition? In the 12 years Labour controlled the Council from 1994 – 2006 there were 11 Labour Mayors and 1 Conservative. As a result there are a lot of long-serving Conservative councillors who’ve never had the chance to be Mayor. We’re giving them an opportunity

Fr info the list is
1994/95
Councillor V K Sharma
1995/96
Councillor S P Pound
1996/97
Councillor M N Patil
1997/98
Councillor J Clements-Elliott
1998/99
Councillor U Chander
1999/00
Councillor P Portwood
2000/01
Councillor D Bond
2001/02
Councillor R Dheer
2002/03
Councillor K Gavan
2003/04
Councillor G Singh
2004/05
Councillor I M Potts
2005/06
Councillor M Elliott

By: Jamie Smith

Jamie Smith — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:10:28 +0000

Ian, I am sure that the Labour group would have more respect for the Mayor if you had not broken with tradition by appointing four consecutive Conservative mayors during this session.

As for Labour “pressure”, I am sure that you are well aware that 20 or so Labour councillors against 40+ Tories is difficult when all of the Tory group toe the party line even when they may not agree. Cllr Popham must be doing an excellent job as chief whip!