The identity of a Conservative councillor who voted to back plans to elect a new Labour member ahead of his own party’s candidate at Burntwood Town Council has been revealed.
The Chasetown ward seat – left vacant following the resignation of Keith Willis-Croft – was filled by Cllr Norma Bacon following a vote of councillors after a by-election was not held.
Labour claimed the Conservatives had gone against a deal that had been agreed to allow them to co-opt Rob Birch, with all but one Tory member voting for Lichfield City Council and Lichfield District Council member Norma Bacon.
Now LichfieldLive can reveal that Cllr Doug Pullen was the Conservative representative who voted with the Labour group.
The member for Summerfield and All Saints confirmed he had voted against his own party in the closed ballot, but did not indicate whether his decision was linked to the knowledge of any pre-agreement with the opposition group.
Cllr Pullen’s admission was welcomed by the opposition group with Cllr Darren Ennis, a Labour representative for Chasetown ward, saying he was the only Conservative who could hold his head up high after the vote.
“What Doug did was show that he knew what was right,” Cllr Ennis said. “In voting the way that was agreed showed him as the only honourable member of the Conservative group at Burntwood Town Council.”
The move by Cllr Pullen will not be seen as insignificant given his role as a senior councillor who also sits on the Cabinet at Conservative-controlled Lichfield District Council.
He has previously spoken about the need for greater co-operation between both parties at Burntwood Town Council after a series of high-profile rows under former Tory group leader Cllr Richard Mosson.
Speaking last year about the war of words between local councillors, Cllr Pullen said: “I support what we as Conservatives are doing,” Cllr Pullen added. “But I do want us to make sure we foster a spirit of co-operation.”
