Fearful for Eastbourne’s economic and cultural future under the Borough Council’s newly-appointed Leader, Conservative councillors are concerned that the town’s perilous financial situation may deteriorate.
Eastbourne Conservatives have expressed concern over the choice of Cllr Stephen Holt to lead the authority following the Lib-Dem retention of control in the local elections. He is due to be installed as Leader at a full meeting of the council this week (24 May).
It’s known that former Leader, David Tutt, committed up to 70 hours a week to council activities, and the vast majority of this on Borough rather than East Sussex matters, such that it became a full-time position.
Mr Holt is already in full-time employment and Conservatives have expressed concern that he simply won’t have enough hours in the day to devote sufficient time to running Eastbourne.
“Since he’s CEO of Eastbourne’s BID operation, we are concerned that Cllr Holt will not be able to fulfil the enormous duties and responsibilities inherent in his new role”, says Conservative Leader, Cllr Robert Smart. “He is already juggling his paid-employment with his position as a county and borough ward councillor.”
Conservatives also point to a potential conflict of interest between Mr Holt’s paid-duties at Eastbourne BID, which represents various commercial interests in the town centre, with overseeing the borough council on behalf of the whole town and its residents.
“Being paid, on the one-hand, to promote local businesses will not always square with acting in the best interests of residents who are paying high council taxes and should expect high-quality governance on their behalf”, says Conservative Deputy Leader, Cllr Penny di Cara.
The state of the town’s finances have also been called into question. “The Lib-Dems have missed a golden opportunity to put their disastrous financial mismanagement, which almost bankrupted the town and necessitated central government intervention, behind them”, says Shadow Cabinet Member Cllr Kshama Shore. “It was, after all, Cllr Holt who was the Cabinet member for Finance at the time of these difficulties, and one might have expected him to accept responsibility and play no further part.
“Instead, we are genuinely concerned that the new leadership will lead the town into further chaos. Rest assured, the Conservative opposition will be watching closely and ready to hold the new administration to account in the interests of all residents.”
CAPTION - Eastbourne Borough Council’s Shadow Cabinet of Conservative councillors on the steps of the Town Hall.
