Conservative ousted after Westgate Towers row
by Lauren
Fruen
Infighting at Canterbury city
council over the divisive Westgate Towers traffic trial has led to
one Conservative being ousted from the Tory group.
Cllr David Hirst, who has also been
a Kent county councillor for the past 12 years, has been stripped
of his whip by city council leader John Gilbey and left an
independent member for Canterbury.
The squabble between them came to a
head when Cllr Hirst supported Kent County Council (KCC) in
scrapping the ban on cars through the Westgate Towers.
Cllr Hirst was told via email on
February 13 of the decision to remove him from the local party.
In a statement, Cllr Hirst
(left) said: "I will continue to be a Conservative and during
this period continue to support and act as a Conservative within
the council. I was elected as a Conservative. I will remain a full
member of Kent County Council Conservative group and continue to
work normally.
"Being a member of both councils,
my obligation on each issue is clearly defined by, in whom the
power is vested.
"At Canterbury City Council the
leader has withdrawn the whip – the reason given being that I have
clearly supported Kent County Council policies on some relevant
issues."
Transport bosses at county hall
announced last month that when the one-year-trial ends in March,
the road system will revert to the original and traffic will once
again pass through the historic gateway to the city.
The scheme has been almost
universally derided as causing delays and increasing car fumes.
But the KCC decision sparked
outrage among the city council, which had fought to keep the trial.
Cllr Gilbey’s fury was compounded by the fact some of his own
councillors had voted against the scheme.
Cllr Hirst said: "The decision to
stop the trial was made by the leader of Kent County Council.
Highways is a KCC responsibility.
"As a back bench member I felt that
this was correct for Canterbury residents, traders and importantly
professional offices.
"I supported the trial in the first
instance but became alarmed by many facets of it in operation and
support Mr Carter’s decision to revert to the original layout."
Cllr Hirst is also hinting that he
may make his own leadership challenge in the future, adding: "Some
time ago I indicated to members of the Canterbury City Conservative
group and the Conservative Association that I would stand, in the
May elections of a City Council leader, as a candidate."
The Greenhill and Eddington ward member will also be a
Conservative candidate in the next Kent County Council
elections.
18/02/13
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