Alnwick by-election sparks row
Aug 12 2010 by Brian Daniel, The Journal
A POLITICAL row has broken out over the holding of a by-election in a Northumberland market town.
A poll will take place in Alnwick next month for a seat on its town council.
And town mayor Eileen Blakey is angry that the election will be taking place, saying the council has always co-opted new members since she joined, in the interests of saving money.
A spokeswoman for Northumberland County Council yesterday claimed an average by-election could cost anywhere between £2,000 and £5,000 and that the town council would be expected to pick up the bill.
While recognising that some people view co-option as “not very democratic,” Coun Blakey claims such money could be better used by the council, at a time when it can apply to take on powers once carried out by the now defunct Alnwick District Council.
The Conservative Party put forward a candidate nomination to the county council, after the vacancy on the council was advertised.
The Liberal Democrats then said it would be putting a candidate forward, triggering the by-election.
Coun Blakey has blamed the Tories for sparking the election.
She is also furious that their candidate Bruce Hewison is campaigning on a Conservative ticket.
The councillor claims the town council is free of party politics, despite candidates stating their allegiance at election time – something she did as a Lib Dem, although her mayoral role is politically neutral.
Last night, Mr Hewison insisted democracy comes at a cost and said he and his party were simply following the democratic process.
The mayor’s own party said it may have fielded a candidate even if the Tories had not and claimed town and parish councils were becoming increasingly political.
Coun Blakey said: “None of us stand on a party political ticket. We never have and I hoped we never would.
“It is political and I do not like politics at this level of local government, never have, never will.”
Mr Hewison said: “Everybody is entitled to their view, that is democracy for you.
“Democracy does not come cheap. If we want to live in a democratic world, democracy has to be paid for.
“Local people are entitled to have their opinions and their views and are entitled to have who they want to represent them on the town council.
“All I am doing is following the democratic process.”
The Lib Dems in the Alnwick area said they had to field a candidate once the Tories put one forward, and added they may have done so even if their rivals had not.
Constituency organiser Paul Moat said: “The town councils are going to become a lot more political. Town councils in south east Northumberland are all political.”
The by-election for the vacancy, created by the retirement of former mayor Coun Mary Graham, is set to take place on September 2.
