Labour Administration Accused of Gerrymandering (Leeds Liberal Democrats)

Leeds Liberal Democrats <info@leedslibdems.org.uk>

Labour Administration Accused of Gerrymandering

August 27, 2010 12:00 AM

Leeds Lib Dem Leader, Cllr Stewart Golton, has condemned a move by the Labour controlled council to shift boundaries so that they can take control of the key local decision-making committee in the North West of Leeds.

The Inner North West Area Committee has an annual budget of £219,440, and has seven Lib Dem Councillors and five Labour councillors.

The move only came to light following the publication of papers for the meeting of the council's General Purposes Committee scheduled for the 6th September.

In the papers was a proposal to move Weetwood Ward, which includes Far Headingley, from the Inner North West to the Outer North West Area Committee, breaking its close links with Headingley.

Council plan to cut Headingley in two

Cllr Golton said: "This is no more than blatant attempt at power grabbing. No reason has been given for this other than a vague reference to demographics. It recognises no cultural links and Greater Headingley faces being cut in two for the sake of an extra Chair's allowance for one of Labour's members."

The changes would mean Labour gain a further area committee chair. They and their supporters in the Green Party would then control seven of the city's ten area committees, despite having only half of the councillors.

Weetwood Councillor Ben Chastney (Lib Dem) said: "There has been no consultation with any of the councillors in the wards affected, or with either of the two area committee Chairs in the NW area.

"We believe that this move is totally unacceptable to local people, and no such measure should even be considered without full and proper consultation.

"It is marked that the only option here is to move a Lib Dem ward to another committee. If equity is the aim, then why is there no alternative proposal to move Kirkstall to join Armley & Bramley in the Inner West committee?"

Cllr Golton added: "I regret very much that the Labour leadership has behaved in this way - shifting lines on a map rather than trying to strengthen local value for money decision-making.

"I will be writing to the Leader of Council asking him to withdraw this paper, and to drop this attempt to gerrymander the make up of the city's area committees."