West Lindsey coalition choose new council leader to 'put politics aside'

Conservative councillor Jackie Brockway has taken the role after the previous leader – Liberal Democrat Trevor Young – was ousted two months ago.

The cross-party group promised to “put politics aside” for the good of the district at the full council meeting on September 8.

Councillors also voted to trim the power of the top role in a thinly-veiled response to the previous administration, which was accused of gathering too many roles.

The leader will not be allowed to chair any other committees, and chairs and vice chairs will also need to be from different parties as part of a power-sharing deal.

Thirty of the district’s 36 councillors are part of the new West Lindsey Administration.

Cllr Brockway said “this would be leadership of a different kind” and predicted the partnership would “go way beyond a usual coalition”.

She added: “A leader should enable, not gather power to themselves at the expense of everyone else.

“The council’s resilience will be strengthened, not weakened, if all councillors are involved in decision-making.”

The new deputy Councillor Moira Westley, a Liberal Democrat, said: “It has been heartening to see different groups come together for new joint administration, putting politics and party aside.”

Only two councillors voted against the leaders’ appointments, with two more abstaining.

Councillor Sabastian Hague (Lib Dem) was the only dissenting voice who thought limiting leaders’ powers could “prevent the best possible people from sharing their expertise.”

Cllr Young and his deputy Cllr Lesley Rollings, who were overthrown in July, were not present at the meeting.

He continues to lead a group of six Liberal Democrats, with 11 having joined the new administration.

The cross-party group who voted the pair out said the council was not being run well, with too much power being concentrated in their hands and others being shut out.