Who will be running Wrexham Council next Monday?
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It is strange how the BBC Local Democrat pres release has a statement “The numbers could make any significant change to the overall leadership of the council difficult to achieve.”
This might be the case if the two Independent Groups and Conservatives carried on their alliance to run the Council BUT (and it is a BIG BUT) the robustness of the pack is not binding.
The most important meetings planned for the weekend are who can negotiate the best deals by coming together- who can muster 29 in a coalition to take control?
Labour and Plaid is a real possibility following the Welsh Government Alliance – with a number of the seats Plaid are standing in not having an existing Councilor standing they have a clean slate to make an impression.
Conservative/Labour NO CHANCE
Plaid and Conservative NO CHANCE
Wholly controlled one single Independent Group – highly unlikely due to the two Group Leaders – Mark Pritchard and Dave Bithel having a rocky relationship.
Wrexham Ind/Plaid – unlikely due to personality clashesLabour and Plaid or Labour and the Mark Pritchard Indies seem the two most likely scenarios. Deals being brokered around the number of Executive seats that can be shared being the real decider.
Whatever the outcome it will take months for all the new Councillor to get up to speed – reading some of their responses on Wrexham.com for some it will take them a lot longer as their answers show a total lack of understanding about local politics and the role of a Councillor.
If there is a low turnout then a handful of votes could alter the political view in the Guildhall. How will the 16 and 17 year olds vote?
What ever happens if you don’t use your vote then you can’t complain. We should value our ability to vote.Some new younger faces in the Council ,a couple previous losers re elected, and some just crossed the winning line with single figure majorities! Who will join together to rule the new Council? Will it be all change or more of the same?
So this is a weekend of meetings in darkened rooms as the successful Independents decide whether they will all come under one banner or Wrexham will end up with two factions – Dave Bithell – Group Leader of Wrexham Independent scrapping in second in Pant and Johnstown.
Although this is supposed to be local democracy due to Wrexham hoping to receive millions of pounds from the post Brexit Leaving Up funding which is now under Westminster control and not the Welsh Government it is likely that Conservatives will be able to use this as a lever to make sure they are still part of the ruling alliance. In principle using this funding as a carrot with the other Groups to make sure they have a say for fear that if they are not then proposed grants may suddenly be reallocated. It should not be underestimated how this type of investment funding can be used to influence local politics to secure seats at the next General Election.
On the number crunching it does not look good for Labour or Plaid. Unless there is a meaningful change in the Council constitution that moves away from a total small number of Executive Members control to one that empowers the other 40+ Councilors to act democratically- these two parties will be ineffective in their role as opposition and may as well give up now and wait for the next election in 2027.
Assuming the ‘old guard’ Members get back into their positions it will leave two vacant slots to be negotiated now that Sonia Benbow and David Griffiths have not been re-elected.
There is a very slim chance that the skills of individuals will be brought to the Executive with Dana davies being offered a portfolio as being one of the better opposition Members from the old Council.
For the Electorate, the actual local result is irrelevant as the formation of the Executive for the next five years is the most crucial in determining the future of Wrexham.
Following the news that the 2 Independent groups have amalgamated to create the largest party in WCBC and will now be running the Council or the next 5 years, quite frankly, makes me want to vomit.
Voters, you were warned. There is no such thing as an Independent in Wrexham.
I’m giving up trying to second guess politics – hadn’t seen the two Independents coming together due to personality clashes between the two Group Leaders – Mark Pritchard and Dave Bithell. Let’s wait and watch the space to see which others come together,,
Surely on the Executive Board there should be a cross-section of the parties. Independent 6, Labour 2, Con 1, Plaid 1. Based on the number of wards won. I believe this would make for better debate for the benefit of all Wrexham residents.
Following the details of the Coalition discussion between the Independents and Labour if reported correctly on Wrexham.com and Dana Davies statement is accurate then any area that has an Independent Councilor needs to ask the person elected why they could not support the proposals.
As stated it is a sad day for Wrexham with another 5 years of behind closed-door politics that will have no level of transparency.
If the judges for City Of Culture see that the new coalition won’t sign up to training for Councilors on key aspects that would make living in Wrexham a better place then it will come back and potentially detrimental to the bid.
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