20 April (Part 1) - Time and Motion
“The time allowed for questions has expired” intoned Mayor James Hunt as his
focus shifted to Motions which were timed out at earlier meetings.
I do not like Motions, they tend to bore me and I fail to see the point of
some of them. Frequently they address subjects about which Bexley Council can do nothing
or ask Members to be nice to Jews or gay people as if they would only do that if
the rule book compelled them to do so.
If Labour comes up with a half decent Motion the Conservatives will vote it down
so that they can substitute their own and claim the credit for it. Never ever
expect the ruling elite in Bexley to do the decent thing willingly or generously.
Last week’s Motion came from the newly Independent Councillor for Belvedere,
Dave Putson, but had been ‘advertised’ in advance by the Labour Group. A whisper
earlier in the day suggested that their falling out last year might inject some
welcome fireworks into the proceedings but I was to be disappointed. Dave Putson
is far too much of a gentleman to rise to any bait, and to be fair to Labour, they didn’t cast any.
Councillor
Putson spoke eloquently and passionately about Climate Change and how Bexley
Council “should fully recognise the emergency”. Not quite in David Leaf
territory but Dave managed an impressive ten minutes.
Bexley Council has probably done as much as it easily can by switching street lighting
to the dimmest possible LED lamps, pursued recycling zealously, cut down on its
use of paper and switched its pool cars to electric.
Dave provided all the frightening statistics about emissions and the like. Sea
levels are going to rise by 16 feet within the next 100 years, you know the sort
of thing, and if you don’t, listen to Dave on the webcast about 35 minutes in.
The motion was seconded by Labour’s Nicola Taylor. (Erith.)
Once again, one of her themes was local air quality. Asthma, she said, accounts
for one in five trips to see a GP. You may need to reminded that GP stands for
General Practitioner and is someone you used to see in the olden days when feeling unwell.
Councillor Caroline Newton (Conservative, East Wickham) was the first to object to the prospect of Labour
(sort of Labour that is) doing something worthwhile. She moved an amendment.
It bore a close resemblance to Councillor Putson’s Motion but with 31 lines
struck out and substituted the sometimes dubious achievements of Bexley Council
to date. The 1,000 trees, LED lighting, electric pool cars, recycling and
the ill-fated attempt to extend Crossrail across the borough.
While expounding the watered down Motion, Newton found time to admonish
Councillor Taylor for something she is alleged to have said at a Pensions
Committee meeting on 9th December 2021. You always know when a Tory is in venomous mode when they
refer to Labour Councillors as “comrades”, and Newton was nothing if not
venomous. Councillor Taylor was accused of talking down business and she stood to deny it.
Nicola met with opposition from the Mayor who under pressure sought legal advice
which went against Councillor Taylor and then in a reversal that must have confused the
hell out of poor James, the decision went the other way.
Of the last four Monitoring Officers in Bexley, two had no UK recognised legal
qualifications and maybe we now have a third. (The qualified one soon left.) James must have been
quietly fuming when he allowed Nicola to proceed.
Councillor Taylor continued to protest that she would have said very little at the
meeting in question and absolutely denied uttering the words attributed to her
by Councillor Newton. This is not surprising because an examination of the
relevant minutes has revealed that she wasn’t there at all. (Subsequently
checked and confirmed with Councillor Taylor. She is only a substitute on Pensions.)
Councillor Newton moved to safer ground by restating
her objections to the ULEZ which mainly afflicts the poorer members of society.
Councillor Putson’s Motion was flung out by the Conservatives who,
after Councillor Davey seconded it with a fairly decent speech, then voted for
his party’s own pale imitation. Look out for them claiming all the credit long
after Councillor Putson has departed Bexley Council.
To my surprise the debate was not boring and with the exception of Councillor
Newton’s contribution everyone acquitted themselves in a reasonable fashion. Maybe
the Mayor would not agree.