The new leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council has failed to secure the backing of more than a third of his colleagues.
Cllr Kevin Guy | Photo © B&NES Lib Dems
Labour and independent members said questions remained unanswered about Councillor Kevin Guy’s eligibility to stand for election, while Conservatives said they could not support appointing any Liberal Democrat to the top role.
The Lib Dem group leader has provided evidence to the police and council chief exec Will Godfrey that he was eligible to stand.
He was sworn in as leader at Bath and North East Somerset Council’s annual general meeting on 4th May after receiving 35 votes from fellow Liberal Democrats.
Nine councillors voted against and 12 abstained, including ousted Lib Dem cabinet member Joanna Wright.
Representing the independent group, Cllr Colin Blackburn said: “Your leader elect has probably qualified to stand in the election using the letter of the law. We do still feel that perhaps the spirit of the law has still been missed.”
Cllr Guy provided evidence he had lived in the authority area for the 12 months before he was nominated and therefore was qualified to stand.
Cllr Blackburn said the independents were disappointed that the Lib Dems “parachuted” in Cllr Guy – who was elected to represent Bathavon North in 2019 after serving as a councillor in Shropshire – when there are “clearly some talented capable and long-standing members amongst them”.
“We would rather have a leader with a deep understanding of first-hand experience of Bath and North East Somerset and its diverse regions, a history that can only be gained from living amongst us for several years,” he added.
Labour group leader Robin Moss said there had been “too many questions” about Cllr Guy’s eligibility to stand for election.
He said despite assurances from Mr Godfrey and independent legal advice, the Labour group was seeking its own separate legal advice.
Conservative councillor Chris Watt said his group could not support the appointment of Cllr Guy or any other Lib Dem as council leader.
He said: “We cannot in all conscience vote for a procedural motion because we fundamentally disagree with the administration’s approach and its plans for Bath and North East Somerset, whether that’s about the pursuit of the policy of restricting access to the city centre, to continue the rollout of low traffic neighbourhoods despite the obvious problems, failing to consult properly on active travel schemes and misjudgments which show how hopelessly out of touch they are with the needs of the residents, to say nothing of the clear and explicit antipathy towards fundamental parts of our local economy and the desire to be perhaps some sort of national champion climate emergency zealot.”
Cllr Guy hoped to draw a line under the issue of his eligibility to stand by providing evidence, and when asked to comment said the issue was closed.
“None of the bullets thrown by the opposition hit,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service after the meeting.
“We have a brilliant team. It’s time to get things done. Let’s crack on.”
Stephen Sumner, Local Democracy Reporter
