Move to reduce Executive Board number fails as council leader encourages “root and branch” review of all positions

The new leader of Wrexham Conservatives has returned to the executive board following a vote at full council.

Cllr Paul Roberts mysteriously left the Executive Board towards the end of October.

Last week he took the reins of the Conservative Group on the council following Cllr Hugh Jones ‘retiring’ from the role.

Cllr Hugh Jones said at Full Council it was ‘his pleasure’ to move the nomination of Cllr Roberts, with Council Leader Mark Pritchard seconding the nomination.

In what is usually a rubber stamping exercise, opposition to the proposal was voiced by Labour Group Leader Cllr Dana Davies, who said: “We’ve had our position on Exec Board membership for a number of years now and we won’t be changing that this evening.

“I’ve already spoken to Councillor Paul Roberts. It’s nothing personal, and I look forward to working with him as the new group leader of the Conservative Group, and thank Cllr Hugh Jones for the work that he’s done within the group leaders group as well.

“But, we can’t support it.

“We believe there’s an opportunity here to reduce the membership on the Executive Board.

“Given that we’re in budgetary deficit we believe that this is a way that we as elected members can support the budget in a positive way.

Pointing to recent reports that looked at ‘vacancy management’ to trim budgets, she added: “This vacancy here, we could be applying vacancy management.

“On that basis, Labour will not be supporting this. There is an opportunity here to reduce the Executive Board to nine.”

Currently Executive Board members are paid £35,640 which will likely rise to £37,799 from April.

Plaid Cymru Group Leader Marc Jones echoed those comments, and made a more formal proposal: “We’ve long argued for a reduction to eight on the number of the Exec Board, we stand by that.

“Flintshire has eight, it’s a bigger Council. I don’t see why we can’t have eight.

“I would like to move that we reduce the number to eight. This, again, is nothing personal against any individual it’s simply a recognition that we need to save money and we need to show a lead as councillors.

“I think this is one very clear way to show a leadership and to reduce our outgoings as councillors.

“I would like to move that we reduced the number, by amendment, to eight.”

Council Leader Mark Pritchard looked to move the debate away from just numbers on the Executive Board: “I’m more than happy to do a review of all elected members positions.

“I wouldn’t just focus on the Executive Board.

“If you’re going to do something which is open and transparent, and not a knee jerk reaction this evening, I would look at the complete overall picture of the council.

“If you look at the Executive Board, you look at Planning, if you look at Planning look at Licensing.

“Do you need two Chairs? I don’t know, that’s a political discussion.

“Looking at Scrutiny Committees, do you need all the committee members? Do you need more?

“I don’t know. I would urge the Council this evening not to do some knee jerk and just something which is popular.

“Do it properly, review it, come to a conclusion and move forward on it.”

In traditional Wrexham Council scenes a vote on the amendment was retaken as some people didn’t know what was going on, but in the end the proposal to cut Executive Board members to eight failed 22 votes to 30.

The item was the last piece of business, with the Mayor Andy Williams reminding all councillors of his five minute speaking rule ahead of the LDP meeting next week.