Residents to go without full representation until May 2021 after council clash
Hundreds of Wellington residents are set to go without full representation on the town council for nearly a year after plans to co-opt a representative could not be agreed on.
At a virtual meeting earlier this month, the Haygate ward vacancy was discussed following the death of councillor Frank Burns in April, a former mayor and Haygate representative.
Government restrictions in place due to coronavirus mean elections cannot take place until May 2021. As a result Labour councillors, with the agreement of Liberal Democrat councillors, proposed that someone should be co-opted onto the council immediately.
But following opposition from Conservative councillors, residents will now wait for an election next year.
While councillors in favour of the proposal have spoke of their "disappointment", others expressed the need for residents to have their say in a democratic process.
Labour councillor Joan Gorse, Arleston ward representative, said: "This will mean extra election costs to Wellington residents and most importantly the electorate of Haygate will not have full representation for another year.
"These have been unprecedented times and Labour councillors on Wellington Town Council have taken a sensible approach to resolving issues facing our community, including securing funding for kindle devices for care homes and working with others to help our high street re-open safely.
"It is extremely disappointing, but not surprising, that Conservative councillors chose once again to put party politics ahead of the needs of the people of Haygate."
Debate
Conservative councillor and Ercall ward representative Miles Hosken said: "It's a democracy we live in and I believe it's democratic that people have the right, whether they have to wait or not, for an election to put somebody – who has been duly elected by everybody in that particular ward – as councillor."
Karen Roper, Wellington town clerk, said: "While I bow out of it politically as I'm an officer, I know there were comments at the last council meeting that some councillors were unhappy as Haygate now has to wait until May 2021 before an election can take place, so therefore its representation will be very much down for a long period of time.
"I know the need of a democratic process has also been raised, along with costs attached to it."
College ward representative, councillor Lee Carter, who is also cabinet member for neighbourhood, commercial services and regeneration on Telford & Wrekin Council, added: "We put forward what we thought was a very sensible proposal along with the Lib Dems to say, 'we have this gap and the people of Haygate are going to lack representation'.
"It's quite sad really. All the work of the council hasn't stopped so all 21 members should be full tilt and now we're one short. It's one less person people can go to and raise concerns, of which the number has increased due to the pandemic.
"There's still work to do and now there's a voice lacking from the debate in council chamber. It lacks pragmatism and in the time we're in, above all else the community wants to see pragmatism."
The Coronavirus Act postponed all elections that were due to take place in 2020 until May 6, 2021.
