Golwg 360, the Welsh language news service, is reporting that we are about to get a new Labour-Independent coalition.
According to Golwg, Meryl's grip on the reins is slipping, but Kevin Madge, Labour leader, is not safe either.
The Labour group will be meeting next Monday evening to elect a leader, and whoever wins is likely to become council leader for the next 5 years.
Cllr Terry Davies, Labour's answer to Elmer Fudd, said that the Labour group would make its final decision tomorrow afternoon, before adding that "coalitions happen everywhere, just look at Westminster".
Indeed.
9 comments:
Earlier reports of schism in the Independent ranks were overly optimistic, alas.
Queen Pam has been picking off the Indie councillors one-by-one over the past few days, and bringing them snuggly back into her bosom. As you rightly pint out, Cneifiwr, 3rd place will now equal 1st; a Llanelli takeover of Carmarthenshire is yet again assured.
2nd thoughts, don't give the leadership to madge
The independent group is meeting now
Come on sort it out by Thur hope you can all agree to keep plaid out and enjoy the QUEEN's DIAMOND JUBILEE that will happen soon and the OLYMPIC TORCH tour of WALES
Habemus Papam!
The white smoke was seen over County Hall today. Dominum Kevin Leader of the Council Madge.
The official news is that Kevin Madge has secured the leadership of the Labour Group. His chief rival from Llanelli Techwen Devichand has been bought off with being Deputy Leader of the Labour Group and Council.
The independents listened with closed ears (for all of 5 seconds) to Plaid Cymru. They sent a delegation consisting of those well-known Plaid lovers in the former administration Councillors Meryl Gravelle and Pam Palmer to hear them out (at the insistence of the independent group at Park Y Scarlets on Thursday). Talks broke down between Meryl and Pam and Plaid Cymru quite quickly - in fact the talks broke down about a week before they started.
So the smoke above County Hall has turned red. Kevin Madge will lead the Council. He will have two deputies; one independent (Pam Palmer) and one Labour (Techwen Devichand).
Tipped for cabinet are Meryl Gravelle (the Queen is dead, long live he Queen) who gets the Regeneration portfolio so the Mark and Meryl show continues.
Chairman of the Health Committee Jane Tremlett is tipped for promotion to the cabinet for the same portfolio. Pat Jones has been given her P45 by the Llanelli Labour Party for trying to shut the care homes.
Also being promoted from committee to cabinet is Jim Jones as a reward for crushing an independent group rebellion that wanted to do a deal with Plaid.
We await more news from County Hall as the deal is thrashed out over the weekend ready to be unveiled on Wednesday.
Me miserum, quod clavem Petrum furaverit Cheuin.
Could be worse - I had hoped that Labour would join with Plaid. Both left of centre (ish)and lets face it the Indies are probably more conservative. You only have to look at Old Grumpy in Pembs for the evidence. The more conservatives there are in a council make up the fewer indies exist and visa versa.
However, now we have a strong Labour led administration surely we can look forward to some changes.
Council must look at some of the isues that bother people. Church Project - denial of entry to council meetings and funding of offensive libel actions are all easy to fix !
The Labour Party must now stand by its ideals - oppose cruel cuts and get rid of the crap council newspaper.
Oh and by the way - please make it up with the bin men for goodness sake. Job and finish seems fine to me and I cant honestly see any bright young things in county hall being so jealous that they want to abandon their desks to join a bin lorry gang !!
last @anon, it remains to be seen whether a Labour led administration would tackle or reverse any of the issues you mention - the labour group have been silent and complaint on all so far and the Labour minister of local government has been well aware of them too and has consistently failed to intervene. If Labour have the foresight to nominate a council leader other than Kevin Madge, ie someone prepared to actually disagree with senior officers occasionally then we may get somewhere, but with an extra £35k a year in the offing, it's the top of the greasy pole which Mr Madge will certainly have his sights on.
Rumours exist of a Rural Indie Rebellion against a deal with Labour Independents Group -they meet tomorrow under the guidance of Aunty Pam & Granny Meryl
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