After becoming increasingly isolated over recent weeks, Conservative Council Leader John Coombes has decided to remove himself from the position of council leader.
Coombes began his leadership with noble aims. He set about the people, procuring information to form a definitive dossier of what people wanted in Fylde. The madness seemed to start in 2005 when the chief executive convinced him to support cutting certain council expenses and passing them on to parishes to subvert the restrictions on raising council tax.
Decision making was taken out of the hands of other councillors after Coombes created a cabinet in which he was the leader and surrounded himself with cronies. This greatly simplified his deployment of agenda as he went from disaster to disaster to eventual Armageddon. If it took a secret meeting or a threat in kind to get something passed, it was done.
He became the legendary figure that engineered the closure of St. Annes Baths with his financial incompetency. Incompetency that meant he was forced to blindly support planning applications because he was so desperate to sell off council land and assets in order to raise money.
He was not afraid to use his power to subdue his political affiliates. Sometimes it didn’t pay off, such as when Cllr Barbara Pagett dumped the Conservative Party after Coombes suspended her for voting against the whip.
Humorously branded as a lemming by Counterbalance, Coombes has led Fylde Conservatives to the brink. During the overwhelming local election victories from the Conservatives in 2009, Fylde Conservatives lost ground.
Despite dragging Fylde Borough Council into financial oblivion, the Commissar was still pursuant of a brand new Town Hall until this day.
Councillor Karen Buckley was tipped to succeed the Commissar, however she is standing for Parliament in Hyndburn. Apparently a new leader will be announced “as soon as possible”.
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Good ridings to bad rubbish, I think he will say I have set it up for the swimming pool to re-open and its not me who’s keeping it shut now.
The next question is who is going to take over, at least with Coombes I never believed anything he said.
Oh! Well time to get rid of 20 odd sheep now.
Roll on the Borough elections mext year.
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King rat leaves the sinking ship?
It seems there was no life guard attending the gene Pool in the case of Herr Coombes, lol
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Can’t say I’m too sorry. Whatever Coombes intended to do (which was probably admirable but executed badly) he always surrounded himself with yes men that weren’t up to the job. Some such as our current mayor Paul Rigby, seem nice enough when in other roles, but weren’t really competent on the jobs given to them (managing finance and efficiency as a portfolio in his case during the Streetscene deficit fiasco). Others were just never up to any job and seemed unable to tell the difference between what was happening in real life and their imagination (Dim Tim Ashton, repeatedly accusing people of the opposite of their actions in council). The employees of the council largely seem incompetent, with the better ones soon departing for elsewhere. Coombes himself was dictatorial – maybe he saw that as a way of getting things done. The problem with that is that when you are wrong no-one else will ever be blamed and when you are wrong no-one will tell you until a total coup has been staged (there have been a few attempts now). Surprisingly I think there still could be a role for him in politics – maybe as an MP somewhere (just not Fylde) because whatever his faults he can be very charismatic when he talks. He did stand in Wigan (a seat he could never win) so maybe he will when he’s had a break having learned a few lessons the hard way.
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The support he has given to Cllr Simon Renwick has well blotted his copy book as far as the Lancashire conservative office are concerned. I also believe there is bad blood between Simon Renwick and Mark Menzies the PPC which will not have helped Coombes case.
I understand the commissar has one final death blow to inflict on the Fylde on May 10th, that is to sign some agreement with Blackpool preparing the way for the amalgamation of Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre. Or the City of Blackpool/Fylde or as it may become known Kensington County (well they are still building houses everywhere)
I believe the way Coombes came to office was a bit of a fiddle to, as the selection rules may not have been applied properly, it should really have been George Caldwell by right.
As for who may take over after Coombes my money is on cllr Rodger Small at the moment
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Is the agreement still going to go ahead? Surely strong opposition to this is the reason for him going now? And if it does go ahead, can the decision be reversed?
I’m not sure if George Caldwell would have been a good leader either. Certainly he is not dictatorial – he’s almost the opposite. Everyone that knows him says what a lovely man he is, but when it comes to actual action not much has been seen. Would he have been able to get things done at all? Or would the council be endlessly debating things – democratically but without much of an end result? Alfred Jealous dissented too much and had Cheryl Little parachuted into the selection knowing that Alfred or George would be a casualty of that decision. Alfred, though a great councillor really when it came to getting things done for his constituents, had an abrasive superior style that made him appear rude and completely unlikeable to those that didn’t really know him. If you needed him you couldn’t sing his praises strongly enough at how quickly he got things sorted out for you and the effort you put in. If you had never needed him he came across badly.
It’s difficult to see a really strong candidate for the new leader for the Conservative group. I just hope it’s not Fabian Wilson – strong at self promotion, strong at self-importance too.
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The town hall cat would be a better choice than Fabian Wilson. I do not think anyone will be too keen as they are on a hiding to nothing, Simon Renwick Bann is just about up so it may be suit him as I believe he has a reputation for being a bully.
Roll on the election I say, just over a year to go. There may be some Integrity UK candidates in the conservative wards now theres a thought!
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