Flintshire County Council’s Independent Alliance Group
Historically, County Council structures were built around the expectation that all members would belong to one or other "Political Party." "Political Balance" is a legal requirement on all committees. That means that every committee MUST follow the same seating proportion as the main chamber. For instance, in a 100 seat authority, split 50, 30, 20 between three parties, any one of the committees, with ten members say, would be made up of 5,3, and 2 of whichever parties were involved. Also, there has to be a "recognised" official opposition, which is the second largest party. That official opposition automatically holds the chairs of audit and licensing. Executive positions and other chairmanships are appointed by the majority party. At the guidance of the Welsh Assembly Government, 2 of the present 6 Overview and Scrutiny Committee Chairs are also gifted to the Official Opposition. In the case of Flintshire, Labour members chair both the Lifelong Learning OV&S Committee and the Housing OV&S Committee.
In 2004, the electorate put 19 independent members into our local authority's 70 seat chamber, where the committees, by custom, had 12 members sitting on them. If we had all maintained our strictly individual independent stance, it would have caused chaos. Also, had we taken that stance, the official opposition would have been the 11 Lib-Dem members, the second smallest cluster there. To avoid that chaos, independent members, bar one, agreed to form the Independent Alliance.
The strength of our collective numerical representation told us that the electorate had largely had enough of “party political thinking” in deciding local affairs. We sensed a clear movement against the interests of Westminster and Cardiff over-riding local views, needs and aspirations. We had two choices: To decline to work together in any way at all, or to agree to form a loose alliance, based on free speech, an absence of any “whip” system and an unwritten agreement to support policies agreed by majority consent.
If we had, collectively, all maintained our strictly individual independent stance, then the legal requirement relating to every committee needing to be politically balanced would have been thrown into chaos, because each one of the eighteen of us could have demanded a place on each committee. Practicality and sound management called for a common sense solution, which was for us to agree among ourselves to a working alliance. All but one, Cllr. Colin Legge, Halkyn Ward, agreed to that arrangement.
That is how and why the Independent Alliance, of 18 members, came into being.
Once the dust settled following the results of the local elections of 1st May, 2008, the political shape, in terms of seats in the new session of the council, was revealed as:
- Independent 25 (from 18)
- Labour 22 (from 36)
- Liberal Democrats 12 (from 11)
- Conservatives 9 (from 4)
- Non-aligned 2 (from 1)
Total = 70
On 2nd May, 2008, the Independent Alliance, being the largest single group in the chamber, commenced negotiations with the other parties in an effort to form a majority administration which, hopefully, would govern the county for the next four years as a stable, cohesive administration.
The Labour party, in its position of licking its electoral wounds after a considerable mauling, chose to take up the role of official opposition, rather than accept any place in the new administration.
I was initially invited to take up the position of Executive Member for Finance, which I was willing to accept. Regrettably, circumstances made it impossible for other potential partners to sign up to the proposed new administration. After a week of disagreement, without any progress at all, I was asked to see if I could end the deadlock and bring together a majority administration under my own leadership overall, but with Cllr. Patrick Heesom remaining as Group Leader of the Independent Alliance. To cut a long story short, I was willing to undertake that task. Fortunately, I was successful in those negotiations and the new administration was duly put into place at the Annual Meeting held on 13th May, 2008. The new administration was a partnership of Independant, Lib Dem and Conservative councillors. That included Cllr. Colin Legge who had agreed to join the Independent Group. That was a very welcome addition to the new administration.
The details of the new Executive, in terms of membership and the portfolios that they are responsible for appear on the county council website. Suffice to say that as well as being Leader, I still ended up as the Finance Portfolio holder as well.
Collectively, and individually, we are in place for the benefit of local people and local affairs, not the further aims of any political party. During the course of my brief acceptance speech, I made the following promise:
This administration will be open, transparent and accountable in all that it does. That was no flippant lightweight remark. It is the driving ethos of the present administration of three partner groups. All dedicated to delivering quality services for the residents of Flintshire.
At the AGM of the Independent Alliance in June of 2010, Cllr. Parick Heesom lost a properly conducted vote in the contest for Group Leader. He was replaced by Cllr. Fred Gillmore.
Regrettably, Cllr. Heesom chose not to abide by the majority vote at that time and to perhaps return to re-claim his position in 2011, but, instead, chose to leave the Independent Alliance Group, in order to set up a splinter group, under his own leadership. Of the original Independent Alliance group of 25 in May 2008, 6 chose to follow Cllr. Heesom, who was also joined by 2 other councillors, who chose to break away from the LibDem Group.
That "New Independents" group as they have decided to call themselves, expressed a wish to remain within the Coalition Administration, which request was agreed to following consultation among the remaining Independent Alliance, Conservative and LibDem members.
So, as we move into 2011, the Coalition Administration, with me remaining as Leader of the County Council, comprises:-
Independent Alliance 19
New Independents 9
Conservatives 9
LibDems 9
That provides a total of 46, with 1 Plaid Cymru, 1 Non-aligned, plus the Official Opposition from the Labour Party, with their 22 councillors, making the total of 70 sitting councillors.
That provides me, as the present Leader of the county council, with a very challenging task in trying to hold to a properly agreed, planned and implemeted strategy for running your council.
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