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Knock Out Blow to Town Council Hopes
(May 18, 2021)Every four years the Mayor making is a bit different at Warminster town council as it has to await the election results waiting to see if the pre-arranged ‘buggies turn’ succession can go ahead but this year it had an added twist.
The Conservatives lost three seats to Independent candidates and they straight away proposed that Paul Macdonald who topped the poll of the 13 elected by a long way should be considered as an alternative.
On Monday night it was a very short contest as a knock out blow was delivered to the idea as the proposal was put to the vote straight away.
The councillors nor the members of public at the meeting (or watching on-line) were allowed to hear from the two hopefuls what they could offer to the role.
“The new Mayor councillor Jefferies and his deputy councillor Brett will have my full support," said Cllr. Paul Macdonald.
“I accepted my name being put forward to be Mayor because I first learned from John and Stacie that a lot of people had read a letter in the Warminster Journal.
“This letter awakened me to something I already knew. I could do this very well.”
Councillors Syme and Allensby are two Independent councillors now sitting around the council chamber with councillor Macdonald.
“Those residents really liked it saying that as I got the top number of votes of all councillors I take up the role.
“For the next two days there was a real enthusiasm for the idea expressed to me as well.
“I know that for the last 25 years everything has been signed, sealed and delivered with no debate about who will be Mayor.
“I did expect to get the chance to tell the town council how I could take a really fresh approach to the civic, ceremonial, and council chairmanship role but the vote was taken without either Jeffries or me being allowed to speak.
“I am disappointed that this saw a united nine Tories against the three new Independent councillors not prepared to listen to them.”