The chair of Lichfield District Council says some Conservative councillors were like “nodding donkeys” over proposals to suspend him from their group.
Cllr Derick Cross resigned from the Tories and will now stand as an independent for the Alrewas and Fradley ward.
The controlling Conservative group confirmed he had initially been suspended pending a code of conduct investigation – a move which ultimately led to his decision to resign.
Cllr Cross told Lichfield Live he had found the party’s local leadership under Cllr Doug Pullen “constraining”.
While no details over the nature of the code of conduct investigation have been made public yet, the now independent member has criticised some of his former party colleagues.
Cllr Cross said:
“Cllr Pullen asked the few Conservative group members who attended [a meeting of the group] to support him wanting to suspend me without providing them with the details to enable them to make a fully informed decision as to why.
“Like nodding donkeys several did. Following the vote when I wanted to address them – Cllr Pullen gagged me from doing so.
“For that reason, I decided to resign and get out of that group.”
Cllr Derick Cross, Lichfield District Council
Cllr Cross is not the only Conservative councillor to depart the local group in the past week. Cllr Serena Mears, who represents the Highfield ward, also made the switch to become independent in the wake of the meeting.
She has remained tight-lipped on the exact reason for her departure, only telling Lichfield Live:
“I resigned after the Conservative group meeting last Thursday night because of Cllr Doug Pullen’s actions and conduct.”
Cllr Serena Mears, Lichfield District Council
Cllr Pullen has confirmed that the pair decided to depart the Conservative group following the suspension of Cllr Cross over the internal investigation – and that he would not be commenting further until the outcome of it is complete.
“Last week, Cllr Cross was suspended from the Conservative group pending the outcome of a code of conduct investigation.
“Cllr Cross and Cllr Mears have decided to resign from the Conservative group prior to the conclusion of that investigation.”
Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council
Rats in a sack!!!!
Trouble in paradise
Was Cllr Cross a nodding donkey to Pullen last year when a cabinet member was suspended for being a mother. A position he feels in not comparable with being a Cllr
I can hear the distant roaring of dinosaurs.
This isn’t a popularity contest. They wouldn’t agree to a chairman’s suspension without a strong reason.
The paragraph targeted at myself of baby in arms has been used regularly in these articles, I wonder what cross has done now? My LDC conduct complaint was rejected on the basis it was an internal conservative party matter. Maybe the public should be made aware of the incident by a leader who consistently promises to be open and transparent
Mirroring what’s going in at their party’s conference by the sounds of it. Unserious, petty, politics.
Donkey? if the cap fits!