DEAR EDITOR - Finally the ruling group on the district council have come huffing and puffing out of their 'backs to the wall' corner! They have spectacularly failed to answer any of the real questions. I will list them below and we will see if we get a straight answer. Our solicitors could not!
l Did they not declare in Conservative group minutes that the Conservative group was a private club? That human rights did not apply (in spite of the fact that these rights are now enshrined in the Conservative Party rules)?
l Do they agree that the Conservative Group rules do not allow for disciplinary action to be taken - that they acted outside of any powers they might have?
l Did they conduct a kangaroo court and condemn us without our knowledge and without asking us for an explanation for our actions?
l Do they acknowledge that eight councillors abstained without the leader's permission and they were not punished or even reprimanded?
l Did they give us a sheet of paper telling us how to vote on every issue at the last council meeting while denying us input into the decision making? For example - we were ordered to vote against bus passes for the elderly.
l Do they agree they are denying four of the most experienced members of the council the right to take part in the budget process and the setting of the Council Tax?
l Do they admit that by suspending us from the group for six months and refusing us an input into the decision making process, they deliberately disenfranchised us from the people - yes the Conservative people who voted for us?
The answer to all of the above questions is - yes! That is why I and my colleagues in all conscience could not stay within the Conservative group. We felt compelled to break away so that we could do the work we were elected to do.
Finally, resigning and calling a by-election would cost the ratepayers a good sum of money and is unnecessary. We can now get on with the work of representing the people of Bromsgrove - voting how they want us to vote. Not how someone wishes us to vote.
Cllr Mrs Ann Doyle
High House Drive
Old Birmingham Road
Bromsgrove
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