Tensions between councillors heat up on eve of election

An ex-Labour councillor accused his former party colleagues of "sitting idly by" and disrespecting residents by not backing a call to apply for funding to deliver "landmark" new sporting facilities.

Cllr Jack Cousens, who left the Labour group along with eight others after the 2019 general election, had put forward a motion calling on the council to work with grassroots sporting clubs in the borough to apply to the government's new Levelling Up fund.

But despite attracting support from the ruling Conservative group and the Liberal Democrats, Cllr Cousens said he was "incredibly disappointed" to see objections to the plan by some members of the Labour group, labelling their manifesto commitment to support ice rink users and football fans as almost "meaningless".

It caused heated scenes in the final full council meeting before May's election, with Cllrs Jane Frankum and Andy McCormick raising points of order to refute his claims. The disagreements forced mayor Diane Taylor to intervene to stop the "political ping pong".

'Disrespectful to our residents'

The motion, which was eventually passed by councillors, called on the authority to work with grassroots clubs to apply for part of the government's £20 million Levelling Up fund.

But councillors from the Labour group, including Cllrs Gary Watts, Andy McCormick, Kim Taylor and Jane Frankum, all spoke to say that the grant was not designed for bids such as the one proposed.

Cllr Watts said that passing the motion would give "false hope" to sports clubs, whilst Cllr McCormick called it "quite a disingenuous motion".

But Cllr Tristan Robinson, a Conservative portfolio holder who lended his support to the plan, said that councillors should not "talk our town down".

"We have major developments coming forward, and what better way to plan for the future than with landmark new sports facilities?" he said.

"To those who say it won't happen, or it cannot be done, what should we do, not try? Not jump on the opportunities that present to us?

"We are here as representatives to try and effect a better future for Basingstoke and Deane, not to not do things because we are afraid we might fail. Let us just try to build a brighter Basingstoke and Deane."

Meanwhile Cllr Cousens assured colleagues that he had sought advice from council officers confrirming it was the right fund to apply for.

He then said: "I have to say I am incredibly disappointed with my former colleagues to the point where I can pretty much almost say that your manifesto is meaningless.

"When push comes to shove and the difficult choices come, when you have the opportunity to apply for a fund, to take the chance, you’re prepared to say ‘no we’re not interested’, sit idly by and let somebody else potentially take what we could have had.

"I’m sorry but that is not acceptable, you’re here to represent your residents.

"Sport is powerful and has incredible meaning to everybody in this borough, and you are prepared to sit idly by and not do anything.

"That is disrespectful to our residents and it is frankly quite disgraceful that you would put something in writing and do another thing when it comes to the final element of doing so.

"Councillors, do not sit idly by. Be bold, be brave, be ambitious and vote for this motion."

It prompted Cllr Frankum, in her last council meeting before standing down in May, to "refute" his comments, adding: "That is not what I said at all."

Meanwhile, the Cllr McCormick, who became Labour leader after the breakaway in 2019, said: "I am extremely disappointed that the mover of this motion has seemed to personally attack members of our group and infer that our manifesto is meaningless. At least we’ve got a manifesto.

"Where was the mover when we were talking to the football club about their plans to go to Winklebury and relocate to the Camrose? I think what has been said tonight is incorrect."

Councillors voted in favour of the motion, with 43 votes for - including Cllrs McCormick and Kim Taylor - and eight abstentions.

ANALYSIS - Simmering tensions come to the fore

The debate on Thursday night was the spark that lit tensions which had up until now been bubbling away under the surface for just under 18 months, since the group of Labour candidates broke away in the aftermath of the 2019 general election.

Nine councillors, including the then leader Paul Harvey, decided to resign from the Labour party and stand as independents instead.

Speaking to The Gazette at the time, Cllr Cousens said they were intending on leaving regardless of the result of the national election, which saw Boris Johnson's Conservatives claim a massive majority in the House of Commons.

He said: “We have found that a lot of people in the borough have become disillusioned by party politics and this way we are free to campaign on whatever matters we feel passionate about and feel that would benefit our residents.”

The councillors from the Basingstoke and Deane Independent group (BDI) are now preparing to go to the polls for the first time since they left Labour.

Additionally, Cllr McCormick will lead his party into an election bidding to regain seats he may feel voted Labour when they last went to the polls.

Whether you feel that they were elected by name or by party, and I'm sure it will be well debated in the run up to May's crucial elections, how the puzzle pieces fall will be interesting to see.

To add to the intrigue, the number of councillors is being reduced from 60 to 54, and some ward boundaries are being redrawn.

It should be noted that Cllr Chris Tomblin sits on the BDI after being elected as an independent candidate in a 2019 by-election, whilst Cllr Terri Reid sits as an independent councillor unrelated to the BDI.