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Tony Nickin back in through the out door - a clear case of the unelected in full support of the unelectable
(October 07, 2013)FORMER mayor Tony Nicklin is back as a member of Warminster Town Council as a co-opted non-voting member after three Tory councillors railroaded through his membership against stiff independent protests.
Quasi councillor Nicklin, who was dumped and bottom of the poll in May's town council elections, is now chairman of the neighbourhood plan working group (NPWG) and also a co-opted member of the council's 'Town Development Committee'.
Independent councillor Steve Dancey immediately resigned as a member of the committee and walked out of the meeting while fellow independent Paul Macdonald has resigned from the working group in protest.
Steve Dancey said: "The three members who agreed to putting Tony back on the council in this capacity are clearly unaware of the strength of feeling there is against him in the town.
"More than anyone else he is blamed as the architect of the Civic Centre white elephant and for the lack of progress over the town hall. He also ignored the 92 per cent No vote in the parish poll.
"He is also a dominant personality who will pull all the blue strings on that committee in future - a sad day.
"It seems some members have not learnt a thing from last May's elections - if we had a vote now only independents would be elected.
"What makes this all the more galling is that two of the councillors who voted him in tonight were not elected by the people but were unopposed in May (cllr R Fryer and S Fraser).
"With apologies to Oscar Wilde tonight was a clear case of the 'unelected in full support of the unelectable'.
"It is a shame I will no longer be taking part in this committee as it was an interesting one but principles are worth protecting and the democratic principle is one that should be cherished on trampled on."
After the meeting Steve went to his local and relayed the news to a large number of people - their outrage was not synthetic. 'We don't want him' they said.
Councillor Paul Macdonald (Independent -Warminster East) immediately the meeting was put under the gavel informed former councillor Nicklin that he was withdrawing from the NPWG.
"Out with the Old in with the New is a well known phrase," explained Paul to locals the following morning. "Now in Warminster it is in with the Old and out with the New!
"We have to make a stand. We wre elected on a our promises. We will keep them."
Cllr. Macdonald has delivered his letter of resignation from the working group to the mayor Cllr. Paul Batchelor asking the town council to discuss the future membership of the 'working group'.