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New twist in mayor row
I READ with some amusement the letters in the YEP from Stewart McArdle, Albert Slingsby, Sheila Dixon, Paul Mullen, Charlotte Hill and Stephen Clark about their opposition to the Lord Mayor Elect, my colleague Coun Judith Elliott.
On the surface this appears to be a grassroots revolt about her election but in reality it can be exposed as a concerted campaign by Labour Party members and others who all have a political axe to grind.
Their attacks are based on sheer political spite. Let's see if we can join up the dots to give your readers a clear picture of this deceitful campaign.
Stewart McArdle was defeated at the ballot box by Coun Elliott in the 2007 Morley Town Council elections.
Albert Slingsby was defeated at the ballot box by Coun Elliott in the 2008 Morley South City Council elections.
Sheila Dixon, an ex-Labour Party councillor, was defeated by Coun Elliott's Independent colleagues in the 2003 Morley Town Council elections.
Paul Mullen was the Labour Party's candidate who was defeated in the 2007 Morley North City Council Elections by Coun Elliott's Morley Borough Independent colleague.
Charlotte Hill is the 17-year-old daughter of ex-Labour councillor Jayne Hill, who was defeated at the ballot box by Coun Judith Elliott in the 2003 Morley Town Council elections and later defeated by Coun Elliott's Morley Borough Independent colleague in the 2004 Morley North City Council elections.
Stephen Clark is an ex-Labour Morley Town Councillor whose seat was taken in the 2003 Town Council elections by Coun Elliott's Independent colleagues when he declined to stand again.
It seems to me that all of these defeated candidates have one thing in common – their bile-induced co-ordinated campaign against Coun Elliott following their rejection by Morley residents.
Judith Elliott will make an excellent Lord Mayor and, unlike this group of moaners, groaners and losers will bring a positive approach to her mayoral year.
Coun Robert Finnigan, Leader, Morley Borough Independents
I refer to recent letters and the allegations being made by Coun Finnigan as well as the article by your reporter, Grant Woodward.
Coun Finnigan believes in democracy when things are going his way without challenge and accuses others of being 'malicious' when anyone makes a challenge! Where does the statement "This is sheer political malice and anti-Morley" arise? Being Lord Mayor of Leeds is a city-wide position – I think Coun Finnigan needs to look at himself in making such an allegation.
Coun Finnigan would be a Labour councillor when the agreement to which Coun Keith Wakefield referred was determined, as to my knowledge the Lord Mayor's position has been determined on a rota basis between the three main parties over many years.
Labour still has the largest number of councillors within Leeds City Council and had it not been for the deal for the Morley Borough Independents to support the Conservatives/Liberals, the Council would have been a hung local government. It is interesting that Coun Elliott stood originally in Morley Town Council as a Conservative. The council presently consists of 43 Labour, 24 Liberals, 22 Conservatives, five Morley Borough Independents, three Greens, one Independent and one BNP.
The position of Lord Mayor of the City of Leeds is considered to be prestigious and in the Labour Party the position has generally been awarded to a councillor with many many years service – not only to their own ward but to the city as a whole.
Coun Elliott was only elected to Leeds City Council in May 2004 and I note Coun McKenna has done over 20 years service to the citizens of Leeds.
I should emphasis that this letter is from me personally not at the instigation of anyone else.
M Best, Morley South Ward, Osprey Meadow, Morley
From my understanding the role of Lord Mayor has always been settled on a rotating basis, which I think allows someone to represent both the people of Leeds and the mainstream political parties. Leeds being a city run by a motley crew of political parties has been a city with no single party (or even coalition) in overall control. This has led to the present city bosses divide running the city on a six-monthly basis (six months Lib-Dem and six months Conservative).
I fail to understand how a city can efficiently operate under such a system. Ever erratic refuse collections and poor quality social services are proof of this.
Going back to the Lord Mayoral dispute my solution is the utilising of the 'Wisdom of Solomon' – if the city can be run by two different partys six months at a time, then maybe city Bosses Carter and Brett can slice the role of Lord Mayor in half and have two Lord Mayors this year – or perhaps four Lord Mayors serving three months a piece ?
I will be interested to see if my idea is adopted then maybe, just maybe, the bosses can start to serve the people of Leeds.
Evan Adamson, Wesley Road, Leeds
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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