"Coventry council budget chief faces axe from own party"

[dutchman]

Labour Coun Damian Gannon could be ousted by his own party after delivering some of the biggest budget cuts in living memory



The man in charge of one of the most controversial Coventry City Council budgets in living memory could lose his seat on the council - even before a vote has been cast in the local elections.

Labour councillor Damian Gannon is the council cabinet member for finance and recently delivered a budget which included a 1.9 per cent council tax rise and £15million of cuts.

Savings have so far included 1,000 job losses, a reduction in the street cleaning budget and a review of all council events - including the Godiva Festival and the Christmas lights switch-on.

He was tasked with delivering the budget against a backdrop of £24million in central government funding cuts and has warned even more severe cuts are expected by 2017.

But, despite praise from the Labour council leadership for his budget, internal party wrangling in the Sherbourne Ward has meant Coun Gannon has not yet secured the nomination to stand again for Labour during May’s local elections.

Sitting councillors would normally expect to be automatically put forward by members in their ward, but Coun Gannon has faced a double challenge from fellow Labour party members Dave Toulson, a PHD student at Warwick University, and spiritualist minister Rev Christine Thomas.

The final decision on the party’s candidate for Sherbourne is set to be announced on Tuesday after a vote from registered Labour party members in the ward.

A Labour party source, who did not want to be named, said it would be a “blow” for Labour council leader Ann Lucas if she lost one of her closest allies in the Council House and a setback to the party to lose one of its “best financial minds”.

After hearing the news via the Telegraph, Coventry Conservative leader Coun John Blundell, said: “It shows the state that the Labour party is in locally. Sherbourne would certainly be a ward that we would expect to win.”

Coun Phil Townshend, deputy leader of the council and chairman of the Labour party in North West Coventry, said: “It is an internal Labour party matter and it will be resolved internally.”

Coun Gannon did not respond to requests for comment.

[rebbonk]

Maybe there is a God?

Anything to see the smile wiped off that smug face would be cause for celebration. Perhaps it'll remind him what democracy is?

Maybe he can add it in to his PhD about democracy? - His Director of Studies may enjoy asking, "If you were to do it all over again, what would you do differently?"