LIVE: Newport council debate, Tories walk out (From South Wales Argus)
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LIVE: Newport council debate, Tories walk out
3:48pm Tuesday 25th September 2012 in Gwent news
By David Deans - Politics reporter
LIVE: Newport council debate
NEWPORT’S Conservative group walked out of a full council meeting en masse tonight.
The group asked no questions of the leader or cabinet members during the meeting's question and answer session for the leader.
Opposition members are still angry over changes to full council, made after May's election, which mean questions must be submitted in writing four days in advance and cannot be said off-the-cuff at the meeting.
However Labour cabinet member Mark Whitcutt said there were a series of items on the agenda where there was completely open debate and accused the Tories of being politically bankrupt.
Of the six questions asked to the leader and cabinet members, all were from the Labour group's own members.
Members left after Labour leader Councillor Bob Bright, answering a question on the new fairness commission, called a Tory attempt during the meeting to introduce a new selection process for the commission’s chairman a “charade”.
The attempt had been defeated and the commission's chairman Professor Steve Smith nomination was endorsed by council.
Tory councillors, who left during the Q&A session at the end of the meeting, accused the leader Bob Bright of grandstanding and say they don’t have a right to reply.
Howeever Councllor Bright himself said he had never left a meeting in his whole political career.
The Argus covered the full council meeting for the first time on Twitter and in a live blog on this website.
You can read how the meeting unfolded below.
LIVE: NEWPORT COUNCIL DEBATE
South Wales Argus has no responsibility or control over the content on external blogging sites, but you can contact us if you have a complaint.
Comments(36)
james.dyer7@ntlworld.com
says...
4:14pm Tue 25 Sep 12
A. R. Hill
says...
4:31pm Tue 25 Sep 12
Amberboy
says...
4:40pm Tue 25 Sep 12
What are labour worried about? Surely they are educated enough to have a debate and respond to off the cuff questions.
Why don't they have an open public debate with the people who pay their wages.
rightsideup
says...
4:42pm Tue 25 Sep 12
If you can't say anything thats understandable,best say nothing at all!.
Goldy_Lookin_Clart
says...
4:48pm Tue 25 Sep 12
james.dyer7@ntlworld.com
says...
4:58pm Tue 25 Sep 12
A. R. Hill
says...
5:00pm Tue 25 Sep 12
What does that have to do with local Government? You're one of the things wrong with politics today, denouncing anyone who votes for a different party, in your case the Tories, don't hate people for the way they vote, it's simply childish
Goldy_Lookin_Clart
says...
5:05pm Tue 25 Sep 12
james.dyer7@ntlworld.com
says...
5:12pm Tue 25 Sep 12
Goldy_Lookin_Clart
says...
5:21pm Tue 25 Sep 12
ire/england
james.dyer7@ntlworld.com
says...
5:23pm Tue 25 Sep 12
A. R. Hill
says...
5:33pm Tue 25 Sep 12
Are you a Troll? Since you're being an idiot. Tories aren't hated in Wales, some parts they are, but you're just being childish
Goldy_Lookin_Clart
says...
5:44pm Tue 25 Sep 12
james.dyer7@ntlworld.com
says...
5:53pm Tue 25 Sep 12
A. R. Hill
says...
5:54pm Tue 25 Sep 12
So is Colonel Bob Stewart, who fought for this country and a Tory, a Quisling? Is Churchill a Quisling? You're an idiot Tories are not Traitors
Cwmderi
says...
2:52pm Wed 26 Sep 12
Sounds as if Cllr.Bob Bright has established his own version of openness and democracy but has based it on the Chinese/Russian model.
If elected member are not free to ask questions of the Leader and his Cabinet members at full council and have no right to respond, then is there any purpose in holding meetings of the council at all?
I am certainly not and never will be a Tory or Lib Dem but I do believe in free speech and accountability for the running of the council.
Unfortunately it looks as if a Politburo has been firmly installed to govern the good people of Newport.
Goldy_Lookin_Clart
says...
2:59pm Wed 26 Sep 12
james.dyer7@ntlworld.com
says...
3:45pm Wed 26 Sep 12
james jackson
says...
6:26pm Wed 26 Sep 12
Those who pretend to be uneducated but are not.
The dubious prose-style. Is it meant to be "rapper" - cf Goldie Looking Chain or is it just pathetic Labour pretending there is anything socialist about the present set-up in Newport.
His comments about North Korea sum it up. The posters were to "brighten" the city and your lot would do the same.
There is nothing democratic about appointing some professor to make sure there's "fairness".
The first time there is deemed to be "unfairness" in any of the dealings of the Labour cronies and it's pointed out by Prof Smith, it will be bye, bye to him.
Rule one. Don't criticise your Labour pals. Incidentally, this venerable professor is said to have Labour baggage.
No problem there then.
disillusioned of Newport
says...
9:11pm Wed 26 Sep 12
snafu1
says...
8:40am Thu 27 Sep 12
!!!!!!
Carrot's
says...
2:17pm Thu 27 Sep 12
james jackson
says...
3:14pm Thu 27 Sep 12
The "working class" as Labour likes to present itself is completely phoney.
Look at the neo-Tory Blair, son of Thatcher. Look at the millionaire Millibands and the "we're happy with the stinking rich", Mandelson.
It's enough to make one ill - the hypocrisy knows no bounds.
james.dyer7@ntlworld.com
says...
3:21pm Thu 27 Sep 12
A. R. Hill
says...
7:57pm Thu 27 Sep 12
The difference between Nye Bevan and today's politicians is that Nye never forgot where he came from, I don't agree with Nye on a lot of his policies, but I respect him greatly.
disillusioned of Newport
says...
8:36pm Thu 27 Sep 12
Jones 707
says...
11:13pm Thu 27 Sep 12
snafu1
says...
8:08am Fri 28 Sep 12
!!!!
james jackson
says...
10:05am Fri 28 Sep 12
The last audit will verify this. Check it out if you want to.
The present incumbents are also seeking to root out old taxis and it's right that they should.
Labour has wasted millions of Newport council taxpayers' money over the years, not least in their failed enterprises such as LG. the grandiose town centre plans and the barrage, that came to nothing. Where did the money go?
At least the 2008-12 council cut cabinet posts and ended the culture of free lunches and expenses. No party is blameless when in power, but what do this lot do when they sniff power again?
They immediately increase spending on social services despite being told by the director that Social Services was adequately catered for in 2012-13. Check out the number of new cabinet posts, especially those given to people who are not quite up to the job.
Life sure is good for some Newport people. What a pity it doesn't extend to people who deserve it.
james.dyer7@ntlworld.com
says...
10:19am Fri 28 Sep 12
Arco2012
says...
1:25pm Fri 28 Sep 12
Cymru Am Beth
says...
5:19pm Fri 28 Sep 12
Carrot's wrote:Excellent post.
What is it with the hatred of the Tories - generally from the workshy and disenfranchised. Fact: work hard and take responsibilty for your own life = success. Convince yourself you are downtrodden and everyone else is to blame - it will become a self fulfilling prophesy. As per last comment - people of Newport dont want the Tories - they would rather the totalitarian regime of the numpties in situ - so we can all whinge about the tory government and wallow in our self pity and then drown in the mire of squalor and despair that is what our fine city has inevitably become. Well, i've had enough, I will go and live my life somewhere more positive - goodbye.
Totally agree.
Cwmderi
says...
1:08pm Sun 30 Sep 12
Almost as good as Caerphilly, who when in opposition put a notice of motion to to save money and cut the cabinet members from 9 to 8.
You'll never guess what they did at their very first meeting when they took control in May?
Increased the No. in cabinet from 9 to 10 at cost of £28,700
Increased the No. of Deputy Leaders from 1 to 2. with both receiving £31,120
Increased the number of Chairs receiving senior salaries and gave all Chairs a massive increase of £3,333 each, at a cost of more than £30,000 to the ratepayers.
(less work for more pay)
Some say good old Labour and some say the truth.
james.dyer7@ntlworld.com
says...
1:18pm Sun 30 Sep 12
pinpong
says...
11:24am Mon 1 Oct 12
snafu1 wrote:Get these rotten old taxis off the road. Most taxi drivers are claiming benefits to top up there money so why are they concerned when the council asked them to improve there cars.
The last con/lib council dear ratepayers blew £345000(yes that is not a typo three hundred and forty five thousand pounds)on their crass attack on newport taxi drivers in their failed legal attempt to force older taxi,s off road didn,t see that in the free local paper did we ,i wonder why thats how compe tent they were!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!
I guess they would rather spend their money on holidays and not on the safety and comfort of their passengers.
Goldy_Lookin_Clart says...
4:10pm Tue 25 Sep 12