How is he doing?On a previous thread a regular contributer to this site Barry Wood (no, we are not related) implies that I haven't been giving Nick Bye very much public backing.
This is worrying me because I think Nick Bye is the best thing to happen to Torbay in a generation - and so do a large and growing number of the people who live here - and I would hate to think that anyone thought that I had any doubts.
For the first time we have an independantly minded directly elected individual representing the population at the heart of our local Government.
In just a few months Nick has:
* Averted the closure of Upton School
* Avoided the Lib Dems disasterous budget and made sure that council tax increases are affordable next year, without dipping into the councils meagre reserves.
* Restructured the overpriced and ludicrous car park charges.
* Got the Kingskerswell By Pass on to the shortlist for funding.
* Fast-tracked a vision for Torbay into a real roadmap to regeneration including some really exciting 'think big' ideas including a casino development, redeveloping the Princes Theatre and turning the disaster of the crumbling prominade into the catalyst for another Bay attraction.
(I may have omitted other achievements - this list is just from memory!!):
But above all he has proved that it's not 'weak' to compromise- it's a sign of strength.
Listening to public opinion and then reacting to what people want - and if necessary being prepared to change plans- is something Torbay residents have wanted for a long time.
For far too long we have had poor governance at local level; we have suffered froman officer led council who have been happy to dictate on the basis that 'they know best' what is good for local citizens and more recently, a Lib dem group who have dismissed every criticism as being 'politically motivated' and therefore irrelevant.
Nick has the ideas and the passion to change this - and there is growing evidence of a real culture change in the town hall- but he can't deliver it on his own.
That is why we are working hard to ensure that next May we win enough Conservative seats to overturn the current stalemate which exists between a Conservative Executive Mayor and a Lib Dem dominated council chamber intent on blocking his every move.
Nick has exceeded even my wildly optimistic predictions when I was campaigning for him last year, and I know there is more to come in the years ahead when he will have the backing of the new Conservative Council when it arrives next May.
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4 comments:
I thought he was supposedly an 'independent' mayor ? That's what the slippery Bye keeps saying ! As if, and you accuse Adrian [Sanders] of being dishonest ! As you confirm, Bye is a TORY mayor with a TORY executive !
Nobody -inclunding Nick- ever said he was not a Conservative, Barry, that is just your imagination. Nick was elected as and operates as a Conservative mayor.
What he did do is remain independent of the official Conservative group on the council and that remains the case.
You are correct that the cabinet is wholly Conservative but it's no use complaining about that, the Lib Dems have been asked to join at least twice and refused.
It's a bit rich for you to complain about Nicks position though, given the highly embarrassing disclosure that your MP was behind the so-called 'independent' No campaign last year.
No dounbt this reminds many local residents of what happened in 1990 when your party teamed up with a group of so-called 'independent' anti poll tax campaigners one of whom promptly became the Lib Dem council leader!!
I think the idea of hiding behind 'independent' pressure groups is quite common in Lib Dem land, though, isn't it?
What was in the Lib Dem tactics manual again? "Act shamelessly, stir endlessly" - eh Barry?
Marcus you missed the last bit of advice
"be wicked"
and
"don't be afraid to exaggerate"
all from the infamous Lib Dem campaigning manual.
LIB DEMS HAVE BEEN EXPOSED IN TORBAY AS LIARS AND CHEATS
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