Wycombe Lib Dem chief calls for council leader to quit (From Bucks Free Press)

Wycombe Lib Dem chief calls for council leader to quit

4:15pm Friday 1st March 2013 in News By James Nadal

TWO of Wycombe's big gun politicians squared off at a public meeting, with the Liberal Democrat leader calling for his Tory counterpart to quit.

Lib Dem Trevor Snaith questioned whether Conservative chief Alex Collingwood has enough time outside work to run the council.

Cllr Snaith is set to pass over his group's leadership reins to dedicate his full efforts on being High Wycombe Mayor from May and he asked if the Tory would join him in resigning.

He raised doubts about whether Cllr Collingwood was able to commit enough hours to leading Wycombe District Council due to his full time job at Barclays – a point quickly and steadfastly rejected by the Tory.

The confrontation came at last night's full council meeting.

Cllr Snaith cited recent examples of other Wycombe politicians moving aside because of taking on new roles. Victoria Groulef quit as a councillor and Labour group leader to focus on her bid to become MP for Reading in 2015 earlier this year, while former WDC Deputy Leader Cllr David Carroll stepped down after becoming Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner.

Cllr Snaith said: “I do believe that councillors need to rethink their roles as a councillor because of things like work pressure and other commitments. I will be standing down as group leader of Lib Dems from May.

“I will be standing down because I feel to do justice to my ward members and the role as mayor, I need to balance my life. I'm aware that a previous leader of the Tories (Lesley Clarke) gave up her day job to focus on the role.

“I've seen the leader's diary and it was quite considerable. Would this current leader be prepared to open up his diary to me, as the chairman and I will do as mayor of Wycombe if I get elected?"

“I'd be intrigued to discover how the leader manages to deliver effectively for this district when he's juggling a full time London job, ward members and the leadership role."

Directly addressing him, he said: “Perhaps like me he may consider the work life balance and resign in May. Join me please Alex.”

Cllr Collingwood said: “That actually is a personal remark about me but I've got big, broad shoulders.

“I've been a councillor here since 1995 and a councillor since 1991. My electorate have elected me every time with an increased majority so they feel I can do the job well.

“As you're aware we have a high range of IT equipment as well as blackberries. In terms of needing to be be here 24/7 that's not necessarily the case.”

He said he is emailing from 6am, at lunch time and again later.

“In terms of the amount of effort I put in I don't think that can be questioned,” he said.

He added he has a team who work closely with him and insisted the crucial thing is delivering results for residents, which he said he has been doing.

But Cllr Snaith later aimed a jibe at the Tory leader, during a budget debate, saying: “I don't know what you have been doing but I have been spending time with the (council) officers in the day.”

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