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The URL below carries the texts we have shown on this BHANGEELAAR! No to directly elected mayor in Tower Hamlets campaign web page
http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/free-press-news/MAYOR-IN-CRISIS.1354283.jp
Published Date: 16 February 2006
MAYOR IN CRISIS
MEMBERS of elected mayor Martin Winter's own party have called for his resignation - but have been ordered to stay silent until after May's local elections.
The sensational split, leaked to the Free Press, happened at an emergency meeting of Doncaster Council's Labour group called in the wake of the resignations of deputy mayor Aidan Rave and John Mounsey in protest over Mr Winter's leadership style.
At the meeting, on Tuesday night, the mayor faced renewed calls to resign from his own ranks and his seven remaining cabinet members were branded "spineless", the Free Press understands.
But as he left the meeting, a smiling Mr Winter told reporters: "It was a very enjoyable meeting. I'm still the mayor. I will be the mayor for the remainder of this term."
It has emerged that all nine members of Mr Winter's cabinet signed a letter of resignation on Monday morning, but only councillors Rave and Mounsey carried out their threat.
A Labour source revealed that each of the remaining cabinet members was asked at Tuesday's meeting why they had signed the resignation letter and why they had then backed down. None gave a reply.
And at least two Labour councillors are understood to have called for Mr Winter to resign at the meeting.
But our source said that regional party officer Nan Sloane called for members to unite behind Mr Winter at the meeting. She told members that she will meet with the mayor, cabinet and backbenchers to discuss the situation further after the elections, it is believed.
Labour backbenchers said yesterday morning that they had been told not to talk to the press.
Announcing his resignation on Monday, Coun Rave - Martin Winter's right-hand man for seven years - said: "I have tendered my resignation on the basis that my values and the values of the elected mayor are no longer coterminous.
"I do not believe that my position in the cabinet is tenable any longer."
He added: "However, I believe that some things are more important than simply the position you hold and some values are non-negotiable."
Asked what values he was referring to, Coun Rave said: "My values are about honesty, integrity, accountability. Those are the values I try to live by."
Coun Mounsey, who served nine months as transport spokesman, said: "I find my position untenable in the way that the leadership and the mayor are taking the town forward."
He added: "I think this town deserves people of principle, people that are honest, open and transparent and I believe the people should be told exactly what the situation is on the whole raft of issues in DMBC."
Both Coun Rave and Coun Mounsey stressed that their decisions to resign had nothing to do with the two police inquiries in which Mr Winter is involved - one into the Glass Park project and the other into election expenses.
The high-profile resignations have caused a rift in the Doncaster Labour Party. The remaining cabinet members, Doncaster's four MPs and regional party officials have all publicly backed Mr Winter, but there is growing unrest among the party's backbenchers.
Couns Rave and Mounsey have been praised for their honour and integrity by colleagues across the political spectrum, and the council's four opposition parties are now united in calling for the mayor to resign.
Liberal Democrat leader Patrick Wilson said: "I think the mayor should now resign because he hasn't got the support of his own close colleagues."
Conservative leader Barbara Hoyle, whose group called for the mayor to resign yesterday, said: "To lose people of the integrity of Aidan Rave and John Mounsey, it is certainly looking serious. It has weakened the mayor's leadership and made his position untenable."
Independent group deputy leader Tony Brown said: "As far as we are concerned, we stand by both Coun Rave and Coun Mounsey and say they need to be commended for standing by their principles. It is time Martin Winter resigned."
Community Group leader Martin Williams said: "In my view the mayor's position is now untenable. Aidan Rave was well-respected and well-liked.
"I think the honourable thing for Martin Winter to do is to fall on his sword instead of other people having to do it for him."
Aidan Rave had been Martin Winter's right-hand man since 1999, first as deputy council leader and, since 2002, as deputy mayor.
In a written statement issued via a press officer, Martin Winter said: "Aidan has been a valuable member of the council's executive for the past five years and also my deputy during this time.
"I am sure he will continue to work hard for his constituents and the Labour Party, continuing to play a role in delivering Doncaster's newfound success."
A Labour Party spokesman said: "We are sorry to hear of the resignations from the cabinet, but pleased that seven of the cabinet members have publicly supported the elected mayor."
And the remaining cabinet members issued a statement on Tuesday through Ian Spowart, the mayor's political assistant. It claimed that "even the most cynical people" could see that Doncaster had made rapid progress during five years of the mayor and cabinet system.
It added: "The mayor has selected his cabinet from within the elected Labour councillors and the members of the cabinet continue to give Mayor Winter their full support."
The Free Press contacted each cabinet member separately for their individual views.
Coun Tony Sockett (business and commerce) said: "It is a sad day in Doncaster politics, but I am hoping it is a day we can recover from."
He added: "I have the greatest respect for Aidan Rave. I was delighted when he took the step forward to put himself up for the Doncaster North parliamentary seat and I think he is still a young man with a great political future."
And Coun John Hardy (older people) said: "Naturally I am disappointed that they have taken that course of action. They have clearly got their reasons."
Bill Mordue (Neighbourhoods) said his colleagues' resignation was "their perogative". He added: "I am personally just doing my job, working to the best of my ability to move Doncaster forward."
Their four colleagues were unavailable for comment.
Doncaster's four MPs failed to respond to phone calls from the Free Press, but issued a joint statement which said: "We hope that Aidan Rave's decision to step down as deputy mayor will not hinder the important work Doncaster's elected Labour mayor Martin Winter and Labour councillors are doing for Doncaster.
"The improvements that have happened over the last few years in Doncaster have not been by accident but because of the hard work of a Labour mayor, councillors and MPs working together. It is important that all Labour representatives work to continue this progress."
As we went to press, no appointments had been made to the posts of deputy mayor or cabinet member for transport.
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
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