Swansea Council has no majority rule as Lib Dem councillor quits party
SWANSEA Council's ruling administration no longer has a majority following the resignation of a Lib Dem councillor.
Cockett ward representative Veronyca Bates Hughes has resigned from the administration and the Lib Dem party, but will continue her work as a councillor as a non-aligned Independent Green representative.
Councillor Bates Hughes, who formerly chaired the West Area Planning Committee, declined to comment for the reason behind her resignation, but said she would release a statement early next week explaining her position.
But her decision means the authority's Lib-Dem lead administration is now evenly balanced with opposition councillors, with 36 each.
Council leader Chris Holley said he did not expect any significant change as a result of the defection.
"This makes no difference to the running of the council to Swansea's administration group," he said. "It is business as usual with the administration group in control of the council."
Swansea Council has a total of 72 councillors representing 36 electoral wards.
Until 2004 it was under Labour control, but since the elections that year no single party has had overall control. Since then it has been lead by coalitions, headed by the Lib Dems, and currently supported by independent members and Plaid councillor Darren Price.
The opposition is made up of Labour, Conservatives, and other independents.
Councillor Bates Hughes's resignation comes on the heels of a tough night for the Lib Dems, who lost one of their seats in the National Assembly elections, and suffered heavy loses in the English council elections. David Phillips, leader of Swansea Labour group, which has the largest opposition representation, said: "The people of Swansea delivered a damning verdict on the Liberal Democrats last night and I was expecting some councilors to be considering their future.
"However, I suspect councillor Bates Hughes's resignation is more personal. She is a councillor passionately committed to principle and it's been rumoured she's been unhappy for some time.
"This is a brave decision as it is difficult being a councillor on your own. I wish her all the best and will help her if I can."
nino.williams@swwmedia.co.uk
2 Comments
by roy.adams, dunvant
Sunday, May 08 2011, 9:20AM
“I respect Cllr Bates Hughes integrity in her decision to resign from this Lib/Dem party who have cast so much despondency within our city.
Cllr Bates Hughes could well have continued to have retained her special allowances for at least another 12 months and it is so good to see a councillor who is prepared to put her conscience before financal rewards, she also never hid behind alias's when making any point on the web, not like so many of her former party councillors have.”
by lyndragon, Swansea
Saturday, May 07 2011, 7:51PM
“Why do we have 72 councillors? I recently contacted my local councillor twice and she did not have the decency to reply.
What are they doing for their generous allowances I wonder?”