Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council cabinet shake-up sees Independents and Lib Dems take control
A new administration has taken control of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council after a motion to remove the leader at last week’s dramatic full council meeting was successful.
After suffering losses at this month’s elections, the Conservatives lost their voting majority within the borough council, leaving the Tory leader and cabinet at risk.
Last Thursday (May 18), councillor Paul Harvey, the leader of the Basingstoke Independent Forum, was appointed as the council’s new leader, replacing the outgoing Conservative leader councillor Simon Minas-Bound.
The Liberal Democrat group leader councillor Gavin James was announced as the deputy leader, but will be known as co-leader, and he will also be the cabinet member for finance, business and property.
The rest of the cabinet is made up of a mix of Independent and Lib Dem councillors.
Upon being appointed as leader, Mr Harvey said: “Our new administration will be a collective of councillors all working together for the good of the borough.
“This is a new chapter that brings with it a new administration that I am proud to lead with my colleagues, jointly, together for the whole of our borough.
“Our cabinet, full of talent and ambition will work to unlock the potential of our borough.”
Mr Harvey stated his administration’s intention was to seek a “can do” approach to the people’s issues, run an “inclusive, open and welcoming” council and put the people’s finances “to good use”.
He also thanked Mr Minas-Bound for his service to the borough.
Councillor Kerry Morrow (Lib Dem, Tadley North, Kingsclere and Baughurst) has been appointed the cabinet member for sports, leisure and culture.
He said: “I am looking forward to supporting sports, leisure and culture throughout the borough and will not take my role lightly.
“I promise to work in an open and transparent way and my door is open to all councillors, supporting the debate not hate theme that our administration is championing.
“It's early days but the future is bright.”
Councillor John Izett (Con, Evingar), who was removed as deputy leader and cabinet member for finance and property at last week’s meeting, was sceptical whether the new coalition cabinet would be able to operate properly.
He stated: “I wish them well, but we shall see. They’re a cabinet of all-sorts with Independents, including a number of ex-Tories, and Liberal Democrats and I rather doubt that they will be able to overcome the inherent divisions and contradictions in their policy outlooks, but we will see.”
He was also concerned about how the new administration would handle the borough’s finances, fearing it may invest public money into Basingstoke Town Football Club, something the Conservatives consider a “private business”.
He added: “What I don’t want is to see the good work we’ve done, undone.
“We’ve left them with very strong finances and I think there’s a real risk that the temptation to splash the cash will be too great for them.”
