Resignation leaves Pembrokeshire County Council leader Jamie Adams with wafer-thin majority

12:20pm Tuesday 15th January 2013 in News

One of the founder members of the Independent Group at County Hall has resigned his membership in a shock move that could prove to be a devastating blow to the ruling group's narrow majority.

Haverfordwest councillor Peter Stock, announced he was stepping down from the group yesterday(Monday) but will continue as councillor for the Portfield ward of Haverfordwest.

This leaves what is now known as the Independent Plus Group with 31 of 60 councillors.

Cllr Stock, a councillor for town and county for 37 years, plans to "go it alone" but will form what he has called the Independent Alliance, and hopes other councillors will consider joining him.

In his letter of resignation to Cllr Adams, Cllr Stock said: "It is with great regret and a heavy heart that I resign.

"I feel that loyalty, dedication and experience counts for nothing in the group. I'm not in a position to fight for the successes that my town and county deserves so I find myself going it alone."

The reason for his decision, Cllr Stock said, was a lack of action.

"I feel we're not progressing, not only with education, but things in general, we are not doing things the right way to get Pembrokeshire out of this recession affecting the whole country.

"Talking shops are fine, if it's followed by an action shop.

"There are a lot of things I believe we should be doing that we have not been doing. I believe councillors should be involved - not just officers - and there should be corporate plans on how to go forward."

Cllr Adams said that Cllr Stock had done "an awful lot of positive work for the authority, if he feels the need to plough his own furrow I wish him well".

In reference to Cllr Stock's concern about slow progress, Cllr Adams said: "Peter has a view on that, it is not a view I would agree with."

He said that he did not believe that the move would alter the political balance in terms of committee structure.

"We will have to be confident that decisions that we take are, and continue to be, sensible because obviously we will need the support of other councillors, that is no bad thing."

Comments(15)

Tttoommy says...
12:28pm Tue 15 Jan 13

Good for you Sir, now If some other councillors would like to show some back bone/ guts?

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Tina2 says...
1:11pm Tue 15 Jan 13

Independent Group?

Do they mean Independent/Conserva
tive Group, that is something I have always wanted to know?

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Dave Edwards says...
1:17pm Tue 15 Jan 13

Well done Peter. Unfortunately, as you rightly imply, the ethos of the council is one where officers are in the driving seat and members just voting fodder. The root of the problem is the Delegation Scheme adopted when the cabinet system was instituted. Anyone reading this document on the county's website will be left wondering just what powers are left to councillors other than the nodding through of an Annual Plan, written by officers, setting out vague aims with all else being left to the officers who wrote the plan..

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Indeview J Hudson says...
1:59pm Tue 15 Jan 13

Isn't( wasn't?) Peter the Chairman of the Corporate Governance Committee with "responsibility" for reviewing the Constitution and corporate governance arrangements Council wide?

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Harrygrayballs says...
5:40pm Tue 15 Jan 13

Well done Peter!!!You have been a good servant of Pembrokeshire for a lifetime,lets hope that your resignation from the politburo does some good.I wish you luck with the "Independent Alliance"

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harfordboy says...
10:31pm Tue 15 Jan 13

I didn't realize he was still serving the county, thought he'd retired years ago.
Well done Mr Stock.

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Kiwitaff says...
11:46am Wed 16 Jan 13

An experienced and well respected long standing Pembrokeshire County Councillor has sent out a clear message about lack of ACTION.

Perhaps the CEO Mr Parry Jones should follow suit and take ACTION and submit his resignation.

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KeanJo says...
8:17pm Wed 16 Jan 13

Will the controlling group be known as IPGminus from now on?

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Honest Local says...
10:19pm Wed 16 Jan 13

Another outstanding local politician has seen the light;. this man saved our county last time and fought for the return of our county name - he got Pembrokeshire back on the map and out of the clutches of that old Dyfed fiasco. Good on him for seeing the light and moving away from the dark side in county hall. I hope he will transfer to the Hylwe Ddada Health Board instead of .that other chairman from Haverfordwest and help save our hospital services - he would be the right man

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Mike Stoddart says...
9:15am Thu 17 Jan 13

Sorry to rain on this parade, but it should be remembered that Cllr Stock has been a member of the IPPG since its inception in 1995.
And, during that time he has only once voted against the party line in a recorded vote.
During the IPG's recruitment meeting just after May's election, it was Cllr Stock who was called upon by Cllr Jamie Adams to tell the newly elected members that, unless they signed up for the group, they wouldn't be able to do anything for their communities.
Having been a cabinet member (2002 -2008, SRA £15,000) and chairman of a scrutiny committee (2008 - 2012, SRA £8,500+) he now finds himself for the first time without a seat on the SRA gravy train.
The arithmetic of the political balance rules means that, if he can find two members to join him in the Pembrokeshire Alliance Party, it will have a scrutiny chair (£8,500+) and a seat on the National Park Authority (basic allowance circa £3,000). And, if another five sign up, PAP's leader will qualify for an SRA of £8,500 as leader of the largest non-executive opposition party.
While we should all welcome anything the weakens the IPPG's iron grip on power, it wouldn't be wise to give too much credit to altruism.

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Honest Local says...
10:59am Fri 18 Jan 13

I hear what you say Cllr Stoddart,and you do make sense,but you must show some forgiveness to this man; yes he may have been closely involved in a former life with this PCC inner circle and its clandestine activities - but he has now seen the light and has walked away into a new period in his life - give him a chance at redemption, and perhaps by example others will now follow in his footsteps, and we may ultimately get a true council in Pembrokeshire

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Mike Stoddart says...
5:01pm Fri 18 Jan 13

You're quite right Honest Local; I really must try to keep my scepticism in check.
There's more rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, and all that.
We will have to wait and see how things pan out.

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Mike Stoddart says...
5:01pm Fri 18 Jan 13

You're quite right Honest Local; I really must try to keep my scepticism in check.
There's more rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, and all that.
We will have to wait and see how things pan out.

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Honest Local says...
9:15pm Fri 18 Jan 13

Thank you Cllr Stoddart - I am pleased that you understand - this defection of Mr Stock may ultimately result in a landslide walkout by IPG members - perhaps wishful thinking - but remember what that ancient Chinese philosopher said so long ago.... " A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"... perhaps we have begun that journey !

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Indeview J Hudson says...
9:12am Sat 19 Jan 13

There is still, according to WAO, in spite of improvement from a low base, an absence of clear and robust information. It acknowledges that members require a high degree of motivation to challenge reports and require officers to provide tham with sufficient and reliable information to evaluate service provision and challenge ways of working.
In its view, few members demonstrate the motivation ( and worryingly for us ) the capacity to do so.
I have my doubts that that a transfer of IPG members from one cosy SRA sharing group to another will improve things.
Unaligned, lone, true independent thinkers ( the second largest non-group) seem to hold the key for the way forward.

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