Robert Marshall-Andrews

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Tory In-Fighting As Leader Presses Ahead With AEC Plans

The confusion and ineptitude surrounding changes to services in Rochester is now beginning to take its toll on the Tories.  The cabinet have been condemned by one of their own backbenchers- whip Cllr Bamber- for their lack of direction on this issue.

The chaos continued when the Tories snubbed protestors at the AEC by insisting that Rochester library will be moved into the Centre- only five days after they promised to extend the consultation period and reconsider their decision.

On the 3rd of February at the Education scrutiny meeting, there was cross-party support for Cllr Murray’s proposal to request that cabinet reconsider their plan to relocate the library.  Members also voted to extend the consultation period and to set up a special meeting of the committee to consider the matter in greater depth.

However, in an exchange of letters between Rodney Chambers and Labour MP Jonathan Shaw, Cllr Chambers states in a letter dated the 8th of February that “when the library is located at the AEC, our aim is to reduce the impact.”

This also suggests that the Tories have made up their mind before March’s cabinet meeting (on the 15th), when they are due to re-evaluate the matter.

Labour councillors and MPs have condemned this approach.

Cllr Teresa Murray said, “This just goes to show what contempt the Tories have, not only for the staff and students at the AEC, but also for the whole democratic process.  On the one hand they have promised more consultation, and yet we see the Leader of the Council stating a few days later that the move will still go ahead.  It is cowardly of the Tories to let the people at the AEC think that they may change their minds, when they obviously have no intention of doing so.”

Jonathan Shaw MP said, in his letter to the Chief Executive of Medway Council, Judith Armitt, “After the recent meeting, I was hopeful that there was a genuine attempt to take on board residents’ wishes: however, Cllr Chambers makes a complete mockery of this supposed consultation.

“It is immensely misleading to grant an extended period of consultation when a decision has already been made, and this is not an acceptable manner for any local authority to behave.”

Medway MP Bob-Marshall-Andrews added, "When is a council consultation with its residents not a consultation?  When its outcome is likely to go against the predetermined decision of Medway Council's Tory Cabinet.  When this whole affair started I strongly suspected that Cllr Chambers and his colleagues would not flinch from the course of action that would clearly inflict damage on Medway's Adult Education provision.  It now seems that the Tory Cabinet are also happy to ignore the concerns of their own backbenchers."