Ready for Change

It seems the Medway Tory back-benchers are in a fractious mood at the moment with briefing and counter briefing winging its way to this blog on potential changes to the cabinet from May this year.

The briefing have got more and more detailed; from potential splits over Care Homes to personality disputes at the very top. This is a group that is simply not functioning or firing on all cylinders.

Of course outwardly this blog has to be careful not to mention names or details but evidence of this can be seen in snippets; from some looking for new jobs whilst others trying to blame everyone but themselves. The carefully managed press narrative has also gone into overdrive with some pretty ‘fruity’ statements from a group in power. Add in the usual in Council about ‘communism’ and ‘socialism’ and you see that you have more meat chucking to the benches then usual; if they cant agree on policy then at least they can agree that the opposition are a bunch of far-lefties. Alas; it is fiction.

Many will rightly state that this blog has predicted changes at the top of the local Conservative Group before only to be left looking stony faced when we get the same line up year on year; this is largely caused by the fact that certain groups tend to lead on the briefing with an implication that changes are indeed expected.

Last year the election result put an end to such talk; not only because the Tories returned with a similar number of Councillors but the leadership faction had ensured 'its' people were in plum seats; we saw chicken runs and last-minute selections to ensure the end result was favorable to the managing clique.

The simple and inconvenient truth is the current cabinet is dated; it is compromised of many of the faces from the 1980s and early 1990s (when I was still in Primary School). Many who perhaps had drive and ambition once, but now go through the motions when reporting to O&S meetings; some indeed have barely a grasp of their brief. One or two of the more capable ones are carousing around Kent for votes for the Tory selection for Police Commissioner, so clearly have ambitions beyond our lowly Council borders.

Whilst we can all laugh at the musings of Cllr Tom Mason and the anodyne remarks of Cllr Wildey. The more ‘capable’ when compared with a number who have simply mismanaged their brief; Cllr Wicks, Brake and the finance team over failed Council tax collection and the bus station (see today's news for confirmation). It is simply not funny that multiple millions of our taxpayers money is not managed by the best people for the job, objectively speaking.

The opposition of course is in a bind; allow the sunset cabinet to continue and we reap the rewards in every cycle of news caused by poor political leadership, or actually, state the truth that many voters (from all parties and none) expect a capable administration comprised of the best talent. The opposition also has the interest of Medway at heart; and as such a capable cabinet would be a far more welcome position, allow for local renewal and some new policy and focus. It may even improve the woeful record on local fiscal credibility!

The renewal in the Labour Group gives many on the Tory backbenchers a chance to do the same; grab the chance.

I know my piece will be taken as mischief making and in a sense it is; but there is some salient points within. If you do not renew yourselves you will continue to make the same mistakes; and as the national context gets progressively more difficult, the window to make meaningful change decreases as the clock winds down to the inevitable swing against; that is something those on the back benches with capability can ill afford.

The Tory Group, for better or worse, does have some talent on the back-benches. It is time the sunset brigade stepped aside and allowed some of its future to step forward and make a mark.