Call for ‘cabinet of all the talents’

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Wednesday, 17 May 2023 13:26

By Gavin McEwan - Local Democracy Reporter

Twelve days on from Herefordshire’s elections, who will run the county remains no clearer.

Previous council leader David Hitchiner said that when his Independents for Herefordshire emerged as the largest group after similarly inconclusive elections four years ago, “we offered cabinet places to both the Liberal Democrats and to the Conservatives, but neither wanted to collaborate”.

The two largest parties to emerge from May 4 are once again “stuck in a national political party mindset of ‘all or nothing’,” he said.

He nonetheless called for “a cabinet of all the talents, bringing together members from Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green, and Independent groups”.

Having doubled their tally to 12 seats, the LibDems appear to be well-placed to shape the future direction of county. But leader Terry James is opposed to business-as-usual at the council, saying its cabinet-based form of decision making “is an elected dictatorship, because ordinary members aren’t consulted”.

Unaligned councillor Jim Kenyon called the LibDems’ idea of reverting to committee-based decision making “hare-brained”, saying this “was conclusively voted against” when previously put to members.

He felt that the Conservatives, as the largest group with 21 seats, “should have first go at forming an administration”, though he added: “I don’t want to be part of it.”

In theory, the mists should clear this Friday morning, when all 53 councillors gather to elect a new council leader, who then forms a cabinet.

North Herefordshire Conservatives chairman and new member for Bircher ward Dan Hurcomb said he believed this would “go down to the wire” and that his own party “is keeping its options open”.

“The numbers are tight on either side, and some might want to keep their intentions under wraps,” he said.

For the Greens, now the third largest party with nine seats, leader Ellie Chowns said her party also remains “keen to cooperate with others” and was open to the idea of committee system.

Bob Matthews, leader of the True Independents whose numbers were reduced in the election to three, said: “A lot of experienced councillors have gone. I don’t know what’s going to happen now.

“This is not good for the council, which is not in a good situation.”

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