Rebel Tory councillor in Northampton QUITS after claiming he was subjected to 'gagging order' – leadership refute claim

A rebel Tory councillor in Northampton has QUIT his position after claiming he was being subjected to a ‘gagging order’ – the Conservative group has strongly refuted his claim.

Councillor Paul Clark (Billing and Rectory Farm ward) has published a statement saying that he has quit the ruling Conservative Party and will now stand as an independent candidate in the future.

Cllr Clark spoke out at a council meeting on May 18 saying that he had been “silenced for asking difficult questions” about the controversial Sixfields land deal.

In his resignation letter, councillor Clark said: “It is with great sadness that I have decided to leave the West Northants Conservative Group as of June 5.

"Unfortunately, I now feel I can only properly serve my constitutes as independent going forward.

“While I fully remain dedicated and committed to Conservative values, I feel the leadership of the council and of the Conservative Group are no longer have the electorate’s best interest at heart.

"While I did attempt mediation with the leadership, I was unable to come to a satisfactory outcome and agree with the terms and limitations that leadership wanted to place on me.

"I would like to thank the efforts of those who helped with this process, but I had to weigh up the best interests of my residents and feel these would be best served by myself as independent councillor.”

After two years of sitting on the planning and corporate scrutiny committees, councillor Clark had recently been struck from his position, which he believes was because he raised “serious concerns” regarding the Sixfields deal.

His resignation letter continues: “As many people will know I have been asking direct questions both to officers and the leadership about certain decisions the council has made and I felt my termination, without notice, from my committee assignments was a direct result of this.

"I also felt that mediation gave no genuine explanation as to why this decision was taken other than the one given at full council.

"In effect I felt the agreement the leadership wanted me to sign up to was nothing but a ‘gagging order’ that would have completely de-railed my freedom of speech and effectiveness as a councillor.

“I would like to assure my residents in Rectory Farm, Billing, Ecton Brook, Blackthorn and Bellinge that I will continue to serve with same dedication and commitment that I have done for the last two years.

"I will also my continue my pursuit of truth and as per the constitution continue to scrutinise and ask questions in the public interest.”

In response, the Conservative Group’s leadership team said it is ‘surprised and dismayed’ by councillor Clark’s comments following his resignation from the group which came ‘without warning or prior notice’.

The Conservative Group said: “In light of councillor Clark’s comments at May’s meeting of West Northamptonshire Council and several comments on social media beforehand it was agreed that a formal mediation process should be entered into, in an effort to find a solution that was agreeable to both councillor Clark and the members of the Conservative Group who he had made disparaging remarks about.

"Following the conclusion of that mediation process, which included an offer of a position on a scrutiny committee, an agreement was reached which councillor Clark gave his verbal approval to, and he was also asked to confirm that he had read and agreed to the standard set of rules that all Conservative councillors in the country are bound by, as all other members of the group have done.

"After several days of the leadership and the mediator chasing councillor Clark for his formal agreement to both the short mediation agreement and group rules, no answer was received and councillor Clark submitted his resignation from the group to the council’s monitoring officer without informing anyone within the group’s leadership.

“Far from being a ‘gagging order’ the thrust of the agreement reached during mediation was to encourage more and better communication.

“Councillor Clark has not been asked to conduct himself in a way that is any different to what is expected of every single Conservative Party councillor in England. His continued assertions that he is being gagged or prevented from asking questions ignore the fact that councillor Clark has been given unfettered access to senior officers, cabinet members and the leader of the council to ask questions about any issue he wishes.

"Every question he has put forward has been answered, and his ongoing assertions amount to little more than innuendo and rumour.

"Councillor Clark has always had an open invitation to present any evidence that would cast concern on a council decision or wrongdoing by any individual, but to date he has presented nothing of substance to the council’s officers, nor has he presented any report to the scrutiny committee he previously served on.

“In common with every other member of the council, councillor Clark’s committee positions were to be reviewed ahead of the council’s annual meeting.

"The mediation also brought the opportunity for a long overdue discussion on committees, and following a commitment to councillor Clark that if committee vacancies arose during the year he would be considered for additional roles, that commitment was honoured. He was, and still is, at liberty to attend meetings and contribute on behalf of his residents.

“The Conservative leadership deeply regrets councillor Clark’s insinuations about our commitment to residents. We work tirelessly to ensure the best outcome for the people in West Northamptonshire, often in very trying circumstances, and we will continue to do so as a strong and united team.”

Conservative councillor James Hill (Billing and Rectory Farm ward) has backed his fellow ward councillor.

He said: "While I'm disappointed that Paul felt the need to leave the Conservative group, I acknowledge this was a difficult decision and I fully respect his decision to leave.

“Our primary goal remains to work together, regardless of party affiliations, to prioritise the well being of our constituents and address the issues that affect our ward.”