The Independent councillors on Bath and North East Somerset Council have split into two separate groups following a disagreement regarding the incorporation of a new councillor.
After being denied admission into the existing “Independent Group,” two councillors have departed to establish “Independents for B&NES” along with the new independent councillor, Chris Warren from Saltford. Although independent councillors typically do not align with political parties, forming a group on the council grants them proportional representation on council committees.
The Independent Group, now reduced to just four members, expressed its disappointment at the departure of independent councillors Karen Walker and Gavin Heathcote, who represent Peasedown St John. They stood by their decision to not accept Mr. Warren into their group.
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Meanwhile, Ms. Walker, the leader of the newly formed Independents for B&NES group, emphasized the growing disillusionment with traditional party politics in Bath and North East Somerset. She stated that their movement aims to provide the alternative that residents are seeking.
The recent council byelection saw the election of Mr. Warren after he defeated the Liberal Democrats by a narrow margin of four votes. However, in the subsequent full council meetings, he did not align with any existing group.
During the byelection campaign, Mr. Warren denied involvement in an account on a social media platform (formerly Twitter) that had posted offensive content targeting the local council, politicians, and minorities. Despite sharing selfies and a video, he asserted that the account did not represent his views and claimed to have been trolled.
The Independent Group emphasized its non-party political nature and the democratic decision-making process regarding membership, stating that Mr. Warren’s acceptance was deferred for six months due to concerns about the controversial social media account.
The existing Independent Group now consists of Colin Blackburn, former Conservative Alan Hale, Shaun Hughes, and June Player. Neither of the independent groups is part of the council administration, currently led by the Liberal Democrats, who hold the majority of the council seats.
Independents for B&NES outlined five priorities, including a focus on putting people first, halting low traffic neighborhood plans, supporting small and medium-sized businesses, increasing council investment in community facilities, and reducing waste.
Mr. Warren expressed the need to cut waste, reduce bureaucracy, and introduce a common-sense approach to local politics, highlighting the opposition to the council’s unpopular plans related to low traffic neighborhoods.