AN ATTEMPT to oust Monmouthshire County Council’s Labour leader, and replace her with a Conservative, has failed.
Labour took over at County Hall in Usk when the Conservatives lost their majority at the 2022 local government elections, and formed a minority administration led by Llanelly Hill councillor Mary Ann Brocklesby.
Labour runs the council in a coalition with the single Green Party councillor but suffered a blow last October when the Conservatives took the Monmouth Town ward seat Catherine Fookes resigned following her election as Monmouthshire’s Labour MP at the July 2024 general election.
The Labour group has since had to rely on the council chairman’s casting vote on a number of occasions in the chamber which the Tories tested at the annual general meeting when they nominated their leader, Mitchell Troy and Trellech councillor Richard John, as an alternative to Cllr Brocklesby.
The bid failed by 23 votes to 22 with independent councillor for Wyesham, Emma Bryn abstaining, though the three other members of the Independent Group all backed Cllr John, who had led the council before his party’s defeat at 2022 elections, to take over.
Cllr John said he has “enormous respect” for the Labour leader but said: “We do have enormous concerns at the way the authority has been run for the last three years.
“Decisions have been made that have impacted residents and we think this county, this council can be better run than it is.”
Following her confirmation as leader Cllr Brocklesby outlined what she considered a number of achievements made by the council, from increasing the numbers of affordable housing and reducing homelessness, to additional funding for schools and social care.
She also said she would never take for granted her role and responsibilities but said local government has “scant resources” though election of a UK Labour government has “enabled the Welsh Government” to put more money towards local councils and said she had lobbied for additional funding for Monmouthshire.
The normally non-contentious votes to elect the largely ceremonial roles of chair and vice chair had earlier given an indication of the political tension when the Conservatives put forward St Arvan’s member Ann Webb for chairman and the independents nominated Crucorney member David Jones as vice chair. They lost to Labour nominees Peter Strong and Martyn Groucutt, respectively, but the decision came down to the chair’s casting vote.
An attempt by Green Party councillor Ian Chandler to nominate Usk and Llanbadoc independent member Meirion Howells as chairman of the democratic services committee also prompted a row when the Conservatives, who’d put forward Lisa Dymock, pointed out legislation prevents members of groups represented in a council’s executive, or cabinet, holding the post.
Labour and Cllr Chandler had tried to argue Cllr Howells, whose vote the coalition often relies on, didn’t have a relationship with the cabinet but council chief executive, Paul Matthews, ruled he was ineligible. He said it was a mistake by officers his nomination was allowed to go forward. Cllr Dymock was then confirmed as the chair of the committee.
Cllr Brocklesby also confirmed Cllr Groucutt had resigned from his position as cabinet member for education, for personal reasons, and will be replaced by Abergavenny Grofield ward councillor Laura Wright.
