Vote of no confidence motion removed from Spelthorne Borough Council meeting
The Spelthorne Borough Council leader and her deputy will continue in their roles after a vote of no confidence was withdrawn.
A motion put forward by the Conservatives, calling for Councillor Joanne Sexton and deputy leader, Chris Bateson, to step down, was removed just hours before Thursday’s (December 12) full council meeting.
No debate was had and Cllr Sexton seemed to have a bit more spring in her step as she went through the meeting’s agenda.
The motion was tabled after the council leader was found to have disrespected a member of staff at a misconduct meeting. She was cleared of bullying and told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) she was “saddened that one of the councils’ officers has interpreted my enthusiasm as a lack of respect” which was not her intention.
It was then claimed Cllr Sexton had failed to properly apologise and had only written a ‘meaningless’ email. The Independent Spelthorne Group member for Ashford East denied this, saying that she had submitted a written apology as well as apologising privately to the officer.
But the Conservative Party called into question Cllr Sexton’s leadership and put forward a motion for her and Cllr Bateson, to step down. Cllr John Boughtflower, who proposed the motion, has not yet responded as to why it was withdrawn.
Critics have claimed the Conservatives were political pot-stirring and trying to ruffle some feathers to undermine Cllr Sexton ahead of the county council elections next year. Cllr Harry Boparai slammed the move as a “cheap shot” which just “puts residents further down the list” of the council’s priorities. Cllr Boughtflower had previously denied the motion was political and had said the leader had “failed” to set a good example.
News of the motion calling for the leader to step down was posted on social media but residents praised Cllr Sexton. People on Facebook commended her for ‘getting stuff done’ and ‘speaking up for residents’.
Cllr Sexton is still due to face a new hearing after it was decided she failed to comply with the previously agreed sanction. A date has not yet been set for the next stage. Cllr Sexton insists she followed the panel’s ruling and issued the required apology.