Dear Sir,
There are 17 Independent Councillors at Great Aycliffe Town Council. Only four of these are truly Independent and they are:
• Bob Fleming • Tony Armstrong
• Jed Hilary • Wendy Hilary
The four do not meet to discuss agenda items or voting intentions before council meetings. We vote for what we believe to be in the best interests of the town and its residents, irrespective of which political party or group, is proposing ideas or changes.
The other so called ‘Independents’ meet as a group, the night before Great Aycliffe Town Council meetings to discuss the agenda, decide as a ‘whole-group’ how they will act and nominate a proposer and seconder, to make their intentions known. They then block vote (as a whole group) for the same decision and outcome. This is not independence of voting, thinking or decision making.
Added to this, in March of this year, several months after both myself and Cllr Fleming had left the Independents group, to become truly ‘Independent’ as individuals, I was told by Cllr Chandran (secretary and, he says, ‘appointed leader’ by the Mayor) that I might be offered a vice-chair position and a place on the three major committees, but only if I voted for EVERY ‘Independent’ candidate (that the so called ‘Independents’ had nominated). Otherwise, I would get no chance to be a chairman or vice-chairman, on any committees (major or sub-committee).
This is not democracy; it is a forced vote, against my free will and independence and totally undermines fairness to other parties and transparency to the public who elect the towns councillors, in good faith.
Cllr Chandran says that there is no party whip, or punishment/disciplinary action for not voting for Independent candidates only and exclusively? But this fully compromises my right to vote for Labour or Liberal Democrats.
I’ll let you, as the public, decide for yourselves, as I know that you are intelligent enough voters to read the above. Even abstaining and not voting to remain neutral is seen as not following the group decision.
I was pressured to decide two months before the AGM (when chairs and committees are not decided until May) to say, whether or not, I was willing to block vote with all of the Independents, or be threatened with losing my chance of any chair or vice-chair (because the 13 Independents would all vote against me).
Because I did not agree within 10 days, I was told all the chairs and vice-chairs had been decided and shared out already for the AGM (six weeks before it).
As a true Independent, I should be able to vote for a Labour, Lib Dem or Independent candidate and not be sanctioned. I will vote for who I believe to be the ‘best’ person for the job, irrespective of political belief and allegiance. I will not be dictated to by the current chair (and vice chair) of the three major committees, about who I believe is best for the town, based upon their skills, knowledge and experience of Recreation, Environment or Policy & Resources.
And if the Independent Mayor has the casting vote in a tied situation and always backs Arun Chandran’s group, then I would rather vote on integrity, knowing I am not just following a block vote on a decision that may be wrong for the town.
I wish all the candidates well in the forthcoming by-elections and hope the best candidates win. These are my own views and opinions and I will let Cllrs Fleming and Hilary speak for themselves (independently).
I also hope all the residents of my ward had an enjoyable Easter break and thank them for supporting me with my campaigns for a pedestrian crossing on Central Avenue at Vane Road, ensuring that Washington Crescent is kept safe from lorries building the new Woodham Academy and for using the new bins I had installed at Rufus Green, Vane Road School, Hutchinson Walk and outside St Oswald’s Park.
Cllr Tony Armstrong BA (Hons) HND PGCE
councillortonyarmstrong@gmail.com