At last night’s Calderdale MBC Full Council meeting the Labour for the second time in two months voted to prop up the minority Tory administration and back their plans to close five libraries in the area.
The full council had previously rejected the closures but had been overruled by the Tory cabinet created by a Lab / Con pact in May.
Lib Dem Group Leader, Cllr. Patrick Phillips bought a motion of no confidence in the cabinet but it was defeated by the Labour and Conservative councillors.
The Lib Dem motion was that:
“as a result of the Cabinet’s recent refusal to act in accordance with the will of the majority of elected Members [over library cuts], this Council no longer has confidence in the Cabinet as currently constituted to work for the best interests of Calderdale.”
The votes were recorded as follows:
Voted in favour of the motion (17)
Councillor Mrs Allen (Lib Dem)
Councillor Mrs Bampton-Smith (Lib Dem)
Councillor Battye (Lib Dem)
Councillor Mrs Brown (Lib Dem)
Councillor Coles (Lib Dem)
Councillor Fekri (Lib Dem)
Councillor Mrs Goldthorpe (Lib Dem)
Councillor Mrs Jennings (Lib Dem)
Councillor Mrs Pearson (Lib Dem)
Councillor Phillips (Lib Dem)
Councillor Rogan (English Democrats)
Councillor M F Taylor (Lib Dem)
Councillor Thompson (Lib Dem)
Councillor Townley (Lib Dem)
Councillor Waller (Lib Dem)
Councillor Watson (Lib Dem)
Councillor Winterburn (Lib Dem)
Voted against the motion (25)
Councillor Barrett (Con)
Councillor Byrne (Con)
Councillor Mrs Carter (Con)
Councillor Cawthra (Con)
Councillor Coombs (Labour)
Councillor Feather (Con)
Councillor Ford (Con)
Councillor Ginley (Con)
Councillor Hall (Con)
Councillor Horsfall (Con)
Councillor Iqbal-Din (Labour)
Councillor Kirton (Con)
Councillor Mahmood (Labour)
Councillor McAllister (Con)
Councillor McElroy (Labour)
Councillor Metcalfe (Labour)
Councillor Najib (Labour)
Councillor Reason (Con)
Councillor Smith (Labour)
Councillor M K Swift (Labour)
Councillor T Swift (Labour)
Councillor R L Taylor (Con)
Councillor Thornber (Con)
Councillor Wainwright (Con)
Councillor Williamson (Con)
