Green Party council leader of Maidstone council who called for pardon for witches survives no-confidence vote

Local Democracy Reporter Ollie Leader was at the meeting.

Transcript

00:00A motion like this is never taken lightly, but when leadership repeatedly drifts from its core mission,

00:05when priorities become misaligned, and when residents feel the consequences every day, we have a duty to act.

00:11A war of words over pardoning witches and rights for rivers,

00:17as the usually collaborative atmosphere of Maidstone Borough Council

00:22was shattered by a no-confidence vote in the Green leader Stuart Jeffrey.

00:29Called by the Conservative group over what they described as a focus on thematic motions

00:37rather than real council business.

00:41Whilst residents begged for improved community safety, bins to be collected,

00:46we debated writing a letter to the government about reducing the voting age to 16.

00:51Frustrations with foreign conflicts.

00:54Maidstone Witches Memorial, which did put us on the map,

00:57because it made us an embarrassment.

01:00The Conservatives are the single largest party within the council,

01:04but still a minority when facing down the combined strength of the Liberal Democrats and Greens,

01:13who easily defeated the motion 28 votes to 14,

01:19while defending their record of delivery and unusual style of governance.

01:25The fact I'm making a name for Maidstone, I think is a good thing.

01:30These are really important things to do, to focus on the town and the people within it,

01:37and the inclusivity of the people within it.

01:39So I'm pleased that, you know, yes, people might not like my style,

01:44but I'm not only delivering the programme I promised,

01:47but I'm able to reach out and engage with the community in the way I do.

01:53With Maidstone Borough Council set to be abolished under government plans in the coming years,

02:00the next few months are going to be critical to get the final projects for the authority over the line.

02:10Was this vote of no confidence just an unnecessary witch hunt?

02:15I think it was the perfect use of council time.

02:18I mean, I don't do any of these things for myself, or for ourselves or our group.

02:22We do it for our residents, and residents were questioning us.

02:25So it's only right that we question him.

02:27With robust opposition comes better leadership, and hopefully that's what this is even going to achieve.

02:31Stuart Jeffery may have won that vote of no confidence,

02:35but it is clear there's still major scrutiny around his leadership style from opposition councillors,

02:46and that's not going away any time soon.

02:51Oli Lieder in Maidstone.