Conservative don't have a ruling majority after Three Rutland County Council Conservatives have resigned from the Conservative Party, Gordon Brown (Ketton Ward), June Fox (Exton Ward ) and Nick Begy (Greetham Ward )
Rutland County Councils Conservatives no longer have a majority.
The three councillors have set up a new group Together4Rutland and issued a statement:
We are Increasingly concerned with the direction of travel of the Conservative group, and as backbenchers have felt marginalised, finding it harder to provide the support for the residents for whom they took up public service to help
We cannot continue to support the national Conservative party on moral grounds, with Ministers and senior MPs having lost the respect of the public and failing to recognise the serious financial position of Rutland County Council caused by a lack of government funding compounded by additional burdens from new legislation.
The new group feel that now is no time for party politics in local government in Rutland and wants the opportunity to openly question policy which impacts all residents and not just follow the Conservative party line. The three councillors look forward to working together with all members of the council to avoid unnecessary political arguments and remembering why they hold these privileged positions. They are hoping that the other members of the county council will agree with this position and look to join with the new Togther4Rutland group to achieve the best outcomes for the whole of Rutland.
Paul Ainsley, who left the Conservative Group shortly after the council voted to reject money that would have been needed to progress the development of St George's Barracks, has also joined the group, having previously been Independent non-aligned. That decision led to the Local Plan being scrapped.
Councillor Nick Begy was the vice-chairman of the council.
