Leicester Mercury political correspondent
Archive for June, 2010
Blackberry ban
Jun 30th
They’re addictive these smartphones. They call the Blackberry a ‘crackberry’ for a reason, and I break out into a cold sweat when I don’t have my iPhone by my side.
So which local councillor is having to do a little bit of cold-turkey after council chiefs confiscated his handheld companion?
Answers on a postcard…
Wardrobe malfunction
Jun 30th
It doesn’t just happen to international superstars, it happened to our very own Lord Mayor yesterday.
Mohammed Dawood’s Liam Byrne moment
Jun 29th
Whenever Mohammed Dawood is quizzed at full council he lumbers to his feet with the swagger of a stand-up comic.
I often get the feeling that he’s one of those cabinet members who has slightly lost sight of the fact that questions at full council are one of the few ways a humble backbench opposition councillor can hold the executive to account.
One of the issues which keeps raising its head is the cost of consultants to the city council. Months after the question was first asked, Lib Dem Parmjit Gill is still waiting for a response.
So when Coun Gill asked about the issue again at last Thursday’s meeting, he expected a straight answer.
Instead, Coun Dawood cracked a joke:
“I’ll have to ask a consultant to find out.”
Cue cross-party grumbles and a wry observation from Ross Willmott.
Frowning, he said: “Oh, that was a bit of Liam Byrne moment, wasn’t it?“
Lord Mayor has attack blog post pulled
Jun 28th
I called the press office this morning asking for a copy of the guidelines that councillors operate under when posting to their council blogs.
The link to his controversial post now leads to a 404 page.
A council spokesman said:
“We have temporarily removed the entry to allow us to discuss these issues with him away from the glare of current publicity.”
More follows…
Just how urgent was Colin’s urgent item?
Jun 25th
This week Lord Mayor Colin Hall decided that a motion, put forward by a fellow Labour councillor, was so urgent that it simply had to be added on to the agenda.
Adding an urgent item incurs the extra expense of printing and distributing details of that item. Last-minute additions also put opposition councillors at a disadvantage as they have less time to prepare a response.
This motion was about the budget – a serious issue which will affect the people of Leicester. But it wasn’t a motion to change council policy, or help the authority prepare for tough Tory cuts. Instead it was nothing but a bit of political posturing from newbie Virginia Cleaver, to rally the Labour troops. One eye on the local elections, which are just 11 months away, perhaps?
It read:
“Leicester condemns this coalition budget, for millions of families this is a budget from hell. The combination of a sharp and unfair rise in VAT, the callous freezing of child benefit and the deepest cuts on our public services will be a hammer blow to lower and middle income families.
“This budget is totally unnecessary by cutting the deficit further and further this budget flies in the face of all economic logic and will lead to slower growth and higher unemployment. Freezing child benefit has all the hallmarks of the same Tories of the 80’s and 90’s”
Questions must be asked as to why Coun Hall, a politician who is supposed to be apolitical for his year of office, felt that it was so urgent and vital to council business.
He also voted for it. Bear in mind that Lord Mayors often decline to cast their vote on overtly political matters due to their position of impartiality.
Let’s hope this isn’t a sign of things to come…
What has she got to hide?
Jun 18th
After the more juicy items at Wednesday’s finance committee were discussed I took the opportunity to nip off a few minutes early to catch up with a council contact.
I’m told that after I left, Mary Draycott – until then quiet as a mouse – decided to open up.
“Now that someone has left,” she began, gesturing at my empty seat, before discussing some issues surrounding De Montfort Hall.
This is the same person who stood for leader. We can safely assume that an “era of openness” would not have been very high on her agenda had she succeeded…
Sketch: Willmott in cruise control
Jun 17th
Casual Wednesday at Leicester City Council.
Finance select committee. Ross Willmott bounds in. No tie, light pink shirt, casual trousers. Jovial lines peppered with his own giggles. It was a council scrutiny meeting, but he could have been embarking on a package cruise.
He took his seat in front of me and was soon joined by Andy Connelly, positively pink thanks to the beaming summer sunshine, and Patrick Kitterick.
The line-up looked like the back seat of a school bus – packed with the class rabble-rousers.
They were in good spirits for a trio so recently sheared of their cabinet responsibilities. Why? Because they now sit on one of the most powerful committees.
They look after the money. How on earth did the Labour whips let this one slip through the net?
Did any members want a briefing about how council finances work – an officer asked. You’d hope not, or they’re on the wrong committee.
But it was an opportunity for a Willmott boast: “The chief finance officer tells me everything he tells the cabinet anyway.” [See comments]
Hooray! They’re still in the loop. Or are they?
“You’ve got to read the Mercury to find out what’s happening at the council these days,” grumbled Kitterick. Perhaps not.
Five minutes in and the first trap had been set. Kitterick requested that Vi Dempster, cabinet member for children and schools, turn up next time around to explain some missed targets. “I second that,” said Willmott.
“It’s an ambush,” Ross Grant Tweeted.
Later on the presence of leader Veejay Patel was requested. Directors and documents were also necessary for the next meeting, they said. Chief executive Sheila Lock ended up sitting at the table to explain items. Officers were grilled. Just one item went through on the nod. No quarter was given here.
When the poor council scribe taking notes was asked to read back the committee’s shopping list of demands she mentioned that the two cabinet members would address the committee.
“I don’t want to be addressed,” said Willmott, “I want to question them.”
Will they be added to the agenda for the next meeting on July 7? No-one could say.
Chair Coley said, half-joking, that if they couldn’t then they’d have to arrange an emergency session.
“Perfect,” said Willmott, “I’ve got a lot of time on my hands these days.”
The big sieve
Jun 17th
Another day, another leaked document.
Rarely a morning goes by now when the Mercury postman doesn’t drop off a package containing something confidential from Leicester City Council (pictured right).
It leaks like a sieve.
Lifting the veil
Jun 15th
Former Leicester City Council leader Ross Willmott has been agitating for a while now over the axe that’s likely to fall on some of the big projects planned for the city.
Because while Ross was fond of an eye-catching (and often costly) project announcement, new leader Veejay Patel has made it clear from the start that many of these simply aren’t justifiable given the financial climate.
He sent Ross an email this month, addressing his concerns, but also managed to squeeze in a few choice words.
He said:
“I do hope that you continue to uphold Labour values and accept the democratic process and support the leadership.
“As you will be aware the timetable for the selection of candidates for the 2011 local elections will be produced soon … and we cannot be complacent.
“The approach you decide upon will have potential implications on yourself and all group members and in particular with marginal seats and lower turnouts. I do hope that you consider working in the spirit of unity rather than personal ambition.”
Have you read between the lines? Ross Willmott certainly did.
He responded the next day:
“Your email contains a thinly veiled threat to deselect me from my seat…”
Forget the actual city elections, it’s the party manoeuvrings for seat nominations that’ll keep things interesting for the next few months.
“A Masterpiece” – Variety
Jun 11th
If you’re into political thrillers, order Il Divo on Amazon. Watch the trailer below.
Off the leash
Jun 10th
If you weren’t aware, former Leicester City Council leader Ross Willmott is appearing on the Politics Show on Sunday.
Which begs one simple question – why?
He was on the show now and then when he was at the helm of the authority, but he’s now a humble backbencher without even a cabinet position. I’d be curious to know how this booking came about.
Don’t forget, Leicester could be choosing an elected mayor by this time next year. A TV profile certainly doesn’t do a candidate any harm.
It may of course be much more simple than that. He is, after all a thorn in new leader Veejay’s side. What better way to wind-up his successor than by being the special guest on the East Midlands’ flagship politics show?
Why I’m on a collision course with the county council
Jun 9th
When I started work at the Mercury back in January, I was struck by how frank Leicestershire County Council leader David Parsons could be.
He spoke, in my opinion, the way all council leaders should do: honestly, without jargon, and with an eye for a colourful quote.
You could call him about anything and get an on-the-spot opinion, and if he didn’t know anything about the issue, he’d tell you. It was a welcome contrast to the often guarded style of then city leader Ross Willmott. How times have changed.
Put in a call, or fire off an email to Mr Parsons these days and you’ll wait a few hours before getting a comment sent directly from someone in the communications team on his behalf. “This will be happening more often,” I’ve been told.
This all started with the arrival of Fergus Sheppard. I’ve no doubt that this anti-democratic move has been chalked up as a way of making the council’s PR machine more streamlined. But quite simply, it cuts off the relationship the press should have with a senior politician.
David never seemed to be the type who’d go in for all the spin and image management rubbish, but I can only assume he’s been persuaded to give it a whirl.
And to be honest, because I haven’t needed comments on anything particularly groundbreaking from him in the past few weeks, I’ve let the whole thing slide.
But all councils have to make big decisions over the next year or so about spending decisions, reform and cutbacks.
These are serious issues, which is why I don’t think I should accept any statements released on his behalf through the press office without making quite clear in the story that he’s issued a statement rather than deal with the Mercury directly.
I grudgingly accept why statements are issued on behalf of officers through the press office, but elected members should deal directly with me. If they won’t then surely readers need to be told.
For as long as I can pick up the phone to Veejay Patel, the leader of Leicester City Council, to get a response from him at a moment’s notice, I expect to be able to do the same for the leader of the county council.
10am update: Fair play to David Parsons, he’s called me from the continent. “Let’s sort this out,” he says. I’ll keep readers posted.
