Forum Topic

Vote of no confidence rules out of order

Steve Curran Leader of the council made a shock announcement to the Borough Council last night citing health reasons for standing down from the council. Theo Dennison was going to move a vote of no confidence - which was ruled out of order, but said what many of us have been thinking for a long time."STAGGERING ABUSES." MOTION OF NO CONFIDENCE IN STEVE CURRAN DISALLOWED. CALL TO RESIGN BEFORE HE ANNOUNCES HE IS STANDING DOWN BECAUSE OF ILL HEALTH."I would like to request that it be voted on in a secret ballot to avoid any attempts to bully or intimidation of members." – Cllr Theo Dennison.Before Council Leader Steve Curran's shock resignation tonight, Tuesday, a motion was submitted to Hounslow Labour Group. It was ruled out of order by the chair Cllr Sue Sampson. Cllr Dennison decided to resign as a result.Here is the motion:This Group expresses its profound concern at the staggering abuses that have taken place at every stage of the candidate selection process and the actions of the unaccountable cabal who have been responsible for them.We note:• Whip and branch reports being written by people who are candidates with a direct and personal interest in the outcome• Trumped up charges and false allegations about sitting councillors and prospective candidates• Rigged interviews by what should have been independent panels• Spiking people who pose a threat to preferred candidates• The failure to stop people paying membership fees in return for the votes of members in key wardsThese abuses have denied party members a genuine choice of many able candidates and skewed the selection results in a significant number of wards.We express our serious concern at the breach of the trust and neglect of our public responsibilities symbolised by the mockery of holding the Labour Group’s consideration of the council budget just 60 minutes before the council meeting at which it must be determined - yet whipping all Labour councillors to vote for it.In stark contradiction to the our values and principles, the budget contains yet another move to reduce the help we give to some of the poorest residents of our borough via changes in the council tax reduction scheme which will mean a massive hike in their council tax bills and is presented alongside proposals for annual increases in councillor allowances.This is no way to lead a party or a council and we hereby resolve that that we have no confidence in Steve Curran and call on him to resign.

Vanessa Smith ● 1245d21 Comments

Eric ,  I think the issue with cyclists is that they have the ear of Hounslow’s Labour Council. Indeed several Councillors are members of HCC. No one likes anyone having an unfair advantage, because  it’s just that ‘unfair’. So if you’re not a cyclist, don’t want all these expensive cycling initiatives then tough because there’s not a thing you can do about it while Labour are in power. Does that explain some peoples problem with cyclists?

Maggie Dodge ● 1209d

I believe Steve may have told two members before the shock announcement in borough council. It was a complete shock to me and I was looking in consternation to colleagues who seemed equally shocked. We knew he had a cough, but he maintained steadfastly he was undergoing tests to establish the cause.Whatever, Theo Dennison's evident glee at Steve's predicament was in stark contrast to everyone else, which included the majority of Tory councillors.It seems Theo could not bear the idea that Steve and our excellent officers had delivered nearly every element of the  2018 manifesto (which Theo largely wrote, and which appeared about 1 day before the election) and been voted Council of the Year 2021

Guy Lambert ● 1214d

You clearly have not lived in this Borough for very long Eric,It has a very long history going back to the 1980s of nasty politics within parties and not confined to Labour.The infighting and East - West division has impeded this boroughs opportunities for more than a generation.A badly created Borough is at the core. Not unlike several other London Boroughs.The good bit is Hounslow pales compared to some of the others.It does have good bits. Schools especially and some council services have been stable and consistent.

Raymond Havelock ● 1214d

You have been VERY fortunate then.

N V Brooks ● 1215d

I can't recall a more vituperative series of posts. There seems to be a very noisy, tiny minority that hate cyclists, love cars and pollution and hate the Labour Party. Who'd be a councillor? Every single one of the councillors I've known (all major parties) in Kew and now Brentford have been good people trying to improve things locally despite the savage austerity cuts.

Eric Baker ● 1215d

Several members already knew Cllr. Curran was unwell. One would think that given the sad scenario of ill health that those in the know would have had a quiet word with known critics.They did not. Probably to deliberately embarrass Cllr Denison and damage his credibility of argument.Not very nice behaviour from fellow party members. Cllr Denison's resignation rather than make a stand on issues which have been simmering for a considerable time is more of a disservice.

Raymond Havelock ● 1215d

Was it not the case that Steve Curran had informed the meeting that he was stepping down due to ill health before Theo Dennison got up to speak?

Jeremy Parkinson ● 1215d

https://www.facebook.com/BrentfordTV/photos/gm.1145913242837103/1979235198918010/

Vanessa Smith ● 1216d

L.B.H. making their umpteenth appearance in Private Eye's Rotten Boroughs column.

Vanessa Smith ● 1216d

I think your out of order with your comment on Theo Dennison. How was he to know The Dear Leader was sick or that he would jump before being pushed. Either way as he had tabled a motion before the meeting he was entirely right to air his views.

Robert Ayres ● 1238d

I think that is unfair - Theo - certainly did not wish Cllr. Curran ill. To be told such devastating news is awful for anyone as I am sure everyone would agree. However, I think some comments also illustrate the levels of trust, or rather lack of it, in some council members from local people.

Vanessa Smith ● 1238d

A disgusting comment by Maggie Dodge, true to form. Steve Curran is fighting cancer and is in no position to take up any 'high paying job' or to continue his highly committed career as a councillor/council leader. He has shown plenty of concern for the elderly and less able, just that Maggie Dodge has a one-track view against cycling, which actually benefits the elderly and less able by taking a few polluting and dangerous cars off the road.Most political opponents have had the grace to wish Steve well in his treatment and recovery. The only exceptions I've seen are Theo Dennison and Maggie Dodge. This diminishes them far more than it hurts Steve.

Guy Lambert ● 1238d

Annoying the yet again a Cllr clearly in the know about things that are wrong has stayed silent for so long until the last knockings and then resigns.Surely he should have gone to a higher authority or gone very public on these matters and surely a good while ago.But instead resigns.Which effectively leaves all those culpable or complicit get away set free.

Raymond Havelock ● 1238d

Cllr Steve Curran is genuinely Ill and has written his last Leader's blog. We should all 'cut him some slack'. The issues raised by Cllr Dennison need to be publicly debated. Thks to changes made by this Labour administration the so called payroll vote of special allowances for cllrs amounts to over £1m in a full four year term. This has to have a corrupting impact on at least some Cllrs behaviour.Sad that exactly when a cost of living tsunami descends on us all the administration failed to accept Cllr Dennison's amendment putting £7m back in the pockets of some of the poorest in the borough via council tax relief

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 1239d

Let’s wait and see if there is any further mention of Steve Curran’s  “serious illness”. Or will he be taking up some high paying job like Ealing’s Julian Bell, when he leaves office. Hard to feel sympathy for a man that’s shown none for the elderly and less able in the Borough. Let’s see if the cycle lane is allowed to rip out bus stops and put in floating bus stops when he’s gone.

Maggie Dodge ● 1244d

That is what Cllr. Dennison said, hence the quotation marks.

Vanessa Smith ● 1245d

all these comments are in speech marks Vanessa. Are you quoting someone else or are these your quotes?

Christopher Gillie ● 1245d

Hounslow Labour : Graduates of the Putin School of Honour and Duty.What a shower!

Raymond Havelock ● 1245d

Well done Theo Dennison. At last we can at least say we did have one honorable Councillor. The sheer and utter comtempt this Labour Council have shown to the people of this borough is truly staggering.

Robert Ayres ● 1245d

cllr. Curran being defended on ChiswickW4 as a great leader and claims that his resignation is due to a 'serious illness' I wish him well if that is actually the truth.

N V Brooks ● 1245d

"CLEANING UP POLITICS IN THE BOROUGH" – CLLR THEO DENNISON CALLS FOR RADICAL CHANGE. "UNTIL WE DO THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THE DANGER THAT MONEY WILL TALK, MONEY WILL BUY VOTES, MONEY WILL CORRUPT.""First, we must abolish the Whip. For as long as the Whip dominates this Council, the public will never be first."Second, we must abolish the patronage of every Leader of this Council – £229,000 is entirely within the gift of the Leader, able to use that every year to shore up their wobbly leadership: £1million per term dependent on the whims of one person and used or potentially misused by that one person to ensure people vote for them. That means the Party is put above the interests of the public."Third, we need to abolish this undemocratic, unaccountable system where a cabal runs this Council, not a democratic organisation. We break the law every month in this Council because decisions are not taken by the Cabinet in a public meeting. They are taken before that meeting. There is a pre-meeting before every single Council and that is where decisions of the Cabinet are made, and prior to that, other meetings that you will never see – the public will never see – are also determining what will happen in this Council. We should abolish that system and go back to a democratic system of committee-based decisions."Until we do there will always be the danger that money will talk, money will buy votes, money will corrupt and none of us will achieve what we set out to achieve when we all stood as councillors to give our communities back something which we think they deserve – trust in their councillors and that their councillor works for them."

Vanessa Smith ● 1245d