I'm not sure if this counts as a defection, but a new independent group seems likely to be formed on Pembrokeshire, although nothing is yet official. See here: jacobwilliams.com/4297/councillors-form-new-group/ Of the three councillors named, one was elected as a Lib Dem. Though presumably, as there's only 1 LD on the council and therefore no LD group, he can join this new grouping without renouncing his party affiliation?
He has resigned over the Labour Group's support for 'Land and Lakes', a holiday village development. Since there are now only 2 Labour cllors left (according to the report) he presumably lost the vote in Group 2-1!
EUsceptic Liberal Democrat. Socially Liberal, Fiscally Conservative. Semi-retired hack.
Having seen what Google does to the Welsh language on another thread I shouldn't risk this but all the same..
Mae cynghorydd Llafur yn Ynys Môn wedi ymddiswyddo o'r blaid oherwydd ei fod yn anhapus gyda'u penderfyniad i gefnogi'r cynllun Land and Lakes.
Roedd Raymond Jones - sy'n cynrychioli ardal Caergybi - wedi bod yn aelod o'r blaid ers 55 blynedd ac yn gynghorydd ers saith a dywedodd ei bod ei benderfyniad wedi ei selio ar y ffaith ei fod yn anghytuno gyda chefnogaeth Llafur i'r pentref gwyliau.
"Rydw i'n erbyn Land and Lakes ac rwy'n anhapus gyda gweddill y grŵp Llafur am ei gefnogi," meddai. "Mae dwy ochr i bob stori ac mae rhai sydd yn gwrthwynebu'r datblygiad.
"Pam felly mae Llafur yn lleol wedi penderfynu ei gefnogi?"
Gan gyfeirio at ei benderfyniad i barhau yn ei swydd fel aelod annibynnol, dywedodd Mr Jones: "Doedd o ddim yn benderfyniad anodd i'w wneud oherwydd dydyn nhw heb roi unrhyw ddewis i mi yn y bôn.
"Mae Llafur yma'n cefnogi'r datblygiad ac yn rhoi amser caled i bobl sydd ddim."
Mewn ymateb, dywedodd cadeirydd grŵp Llafur Ynys Môn John Chorlton: "Does neb yn rhoi pwysau ar unrhyw un.
"Mae rhai aelodau Llafur yn erbyn hyn ac mae rhai o'i blaid. Mae o wedi gwneud y penderfyniad i adael y blaid ond doedd dim rhaid iddo wneud, gallai o wedi aros i wneud ei achos."
Ychwanegodd Mr Chorlton: "Os nad ydi o'n deall pam rydym yn cefnogi hwn yna dydi o ddim yn ffit i fod yn gynghorydd nac yn aelod o Lafur.
"Bydd y datblygiad yn creu swyddi yma, yn cadw pobl yma ac felly'n cryfhau'r iaith Gymraeg."
Fe wnaeth y cyngor sir bledleisio o blaid rhoi caniatad i'r datblygiad fynd yn ei flaen yr wythnos ddiwethaf, wedi iddo gael ei wrthod yn wreiddiol.
Mae ei gefnogwyr yn cyfeirio at y ffaith y bydd y cynllun yn creu 600 o swyddi.
A Labour councilor in Anglesey resigned from the party because he was unhappy with their decision to support the plan Land and Lakes.
It was Raymond Jones - representing the Holyhead area - have been a party member for 55 years and a councilor for seven and said it was his decision is based on the fact that he disagreed with the support of the Labour village holiday.
"I'm against Land and Lakes and I'm happy with the rest of the Labour group for its support," he said. "There are two sides to every story and there are some who are opposed to the development.
"Why then Labour locally have decided to support it?"
Referring to his decision to continue in office as an independent, Mr Jones said: "It was not a difficult decision to make because they do not give me any choice at heart.
"Labour is supporting the development and give a hard time to people who do not."
In response, the Labour group chairman John Chorlton Anglesey: "No one put pressure on anyone.
"Some Labour members now and some of his party.'s Had made the decision to leave the party but did not have to, he could have waited to make his case."
Mr Chorlton added: "If he does not understand why we support this then it's not fit to be a councilor or a member of Labour.
"The development will create jobs here, keep people here so strengthening the Welsh language."
A county council vote in favor of giving permission for the development to go ahead last week, after he was initially refused.
His supporters point to the fact that the scheme will create 600 jobs.
There was certainly a Lib Dem Councillor on Carmarthenshire Council who, when the only Lib Dem on the Council, was affiliated with the main Independent Group (indies and Labour being the main Groups on the Council). Lib Dem officialdom took no action there, and certainly tacitly endorsed her action. As someone who had been active politically in her area a few years before, I think she took a sensible decision, and was able by this means to exert somewhat more influence than had she remained just one lone Councillor.
Labour Leicester councillor Barbara Potter to Independent pending legal proceedings against her for perverting the course of justice in court . The lack of support she has received from other Labour councillors makes it unlikely that she will rejoin the Labour group if the charges which she denies are dismissed .
Susan Maughan , Labour councillor for Borehamwood Brookmeadow ward on Hertsmere BC and also a Town councillor has defected to the Conservatives . No reason given .
Post by Pete Whitehead on Nov 21, 2013 9:45:35 GMT
Borehamwood Labour do seem to have some difficulty retaining the support of their councillors. There have been quite a number of defections in that direction and of course Frank Ward as well who is now with UKIP. The ward she represents on the town council is Kenilworth so her defection brings the representation on the town and borough council into line with each other Prior to this Brookmeadow had 3 Conservative town councillors, 2 Conservative and 1 Labour district councillors (now 3 Conservatives) Kenilworth had 2 Labour town councillors (now 1 each) and 1 Labour and 1 Conservative district councillors. The other wards are either all Labour (Cowley Hill) or all Tory (Elstre and Hillside) on both authorities
Susan Maughan , Labour councillor for Borehamwood Brookmeadow ward on Hertsmere BC and also a Town councillor has defected to the Conservatives . No reason given .
Reading through the lines, this could be 'I think I may lose my seat as the Home Counties move more towards the Tories' or that she has been promised a cabinet job if she defected.
We can all work with people of other parties without joining them - there's not a word here about what she actually believes. I do think there are some people in all parties who just like being councillors and would happily join any party for who they could win a seat. So often they end up in the default party for where they live. Borehamwood used to be very Labour and is now less so as are many of those small towns surrounding London.
Which does make one suspect that the Tories may have offered her something.
Alternatively . having seen local Labour in action at close quarters , she may have realised what a complete shower they are . Irrespective , she should of course resign her seat and stand as a Conservative in a by election . Local Labour people are of course calling for this to happen unlike when a councillor for another party defects to them .