Widespread disunity among elected councillors is putting the effectiveness of Wealden District Council in jeopardy, say opposition Conservatives.
This week has seen the election of the authority’s first ever Green Party leader in a move reported as “unpopular” and “divisive”.
Already, the appointment has led to one defection from the Green/Lib Dem coalition running Wealden, with reports that several other councillors are “considering their position” given the new leader's unpopularity.
The new Green Queen at the helm was a prospective parliamentary candidate but has now officially withdrawn from that role, although her social media channels have as yet to reflect the move.
In correspondence to fellow councillors, Rachel Millward acknowledges that “some members of this [Wealden District] council have expressed concerns about my being a candidate and leader of the Council at the same time. Because those concerns “threatened the stability and cohesion of the council”, she says she has listened and has withdrawn as a parliamentary candidate for the forthcoming General Election.
Wealden Conservative Group spokesman, Cllr Michael Lunn, said: “Cllr Millward’s promise to resign has not yet happened, if she does not honour this it will not help and only deepen the lack of trust of politicians. There seems to be a high level of disunity across the Alliance which can only be worrying for Wealden residents”.
