Stockton Council leadership challenge halted at meeting

The Tories aborted an apparent takeover bid after putting forward a proposal to oust the leader of Stockton Borough Council, Labour group leader Councillor Bob Cook.

When the time came to consider his motion at a full council meeting, Councillor Niall Innes said: “I don’t wish to move the motion at this meeting.”

Cllr Bob Cook at the Stockton Council election count at Thornaby Pavilion (Image: GARETH LIGHTFOOT)

Mayor Cllr Jim Beall said on Wednesday night (July 26): “Under the council rules, that is taken as a withdrawal of the motion, and it will not be heard tonight.”

The motion had proposed the election of a new leader, stating: “Namely, this should be Cllr Tony Riordan as leader of the largest group, so that we can move forward respecting the democratic choice of the electorate in Stockton, where the Conservative group are now the largest group in the council receiving 43 per cent of the vote compared to Labour’s low standing of 34 per cent.”

The Conservatives are the largest party on Stockton Council, with 25 seats to Labour’s 22 following this year’s local elections, but they remain without power. No single party has an overall majority and Labour is still in minority control.

Cllr Riordan, the Stockton Conservative group leader, lost a leadership vote by 29 votes to 21 in May. Cllr Cook was voted back in, supported by seven independents – all four Thornaby Independent Association (TIA) councillors and all three from the Ingleby Barwick Independent Society (IBIS) – as they agreed to work with Labour on an “issue-by-issue basis” without a formal coalition.

Most Labour and Conservative councillors came to the latest council meeting, the last for almost two months. And according to the Conservatives, independents holding the balance of power could not be swayed to support them.

Hartburn member Cllr Innes said after the meeting: “You don’t want to put something that falls at the first hurdle. We just didn’t have the numbers tonight, plain and simple.

“I’m very much of the notion that if you don’t succeed first time you try, try and try again. It might be the first chance but it certainly won’t be the last.

“There’s independents on the council, but we certainly can’t rely on their support. I don’t think we need to ask them for their views, it’s pretty plain.”

Speaking on his reasons for putting forward the motion, he said: “We’re not only numerically the largest group here but we’re the largest in vote share as well. On the doorsteps there is no surge in Labour support at all, quite the opposite in the borough.

“It’s about trying to respect the democratic view and voice of the people of this borough who want change and want a Conservative-led authority. We’ll keep fighting for our residents to deliver for them the authority they want.”

Cllr Riordan said: “I’m not disappointed. If you have the numbers, the motion is carried. If you don’t, it’s not.

Councillor Tony Riordan (Image: GARETH LIGHTFOOT)

“On this occasion we didn’t have the numbers. But I’m sure in future we will have, whether that’s through by-elections or through absentees on the other side.

“I’m quite confident that this motion will at some stage in the future be carried.”

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A Labour group spokesman said: “Once again the Stockton Conservatives have proven that council business is just a game to them. Whilst they continue to play games, Stockton Labour will continue to work hard to deliver on the priorities of the people of Stockton.”

Cllr Riordan responded: “I don’t think it’s a game. If that motion wasn’t put on the agenda tonight I’m quite confident that quite a large number of Labour members wouldn’t have attended the council meeting.”

Cllr Innes added: “We’re trying to do the best for residents and that’s what this motion was about. In a democracy you win some, you lose some and we’ll keep going.”