A MOTION calling for a vote of no confidence and the leader of the Forest Council to resign has been thrown out.
Some 32 members voted against a motion of no confidence in Cllr Patrick Molyneux (Con, Hewelsfield and Woolaston) at the full council meeting last Thursday.
Six members voted for the motion and three abstained.
Cllr Richard Leppington (UKIP, Bream) tabled the motion based on concerns Cllr Molyneux failed to disclose during the Cabinet support group working on the Allocation Plan, that the same contractors whom he had work on his own house also had an interest in the Allaston Road site.
Cllr Molyneux denied claims by UKIP that he only declared an interest immediately before last month’s full council meeting because it had been called to consider the Allocations Plan.
The motion was seconded by Cllr Alan Grant (UKIP, Pillowell).
Cllr Leppington said he was very disappointed with the decision last week, stating some members of the Labour group were ‘blind’ to what is going on.
He said: “It’s very disappointing that not more people from the Labour group supported us. Some members of the Labour group have such an ideological hatred of UKIP that they are blind to what is going on. However, although Labour sided with the establishment, once again, the public perceive that there is an unhealthily close relationship between certain developers and the Tory administration.
“We have to accept this decision but we will continue to scrutinise to ensure that there is a clear transparency in what is happening on the council.”
Cllr Molyneux was elected to the council in 2007, and then voted in as leader in May 2011. In May 2015, Cllr Molyneux was re-elected to continue to serve as leader for a further four years.
He said: “I would personally like to thank the members who voted for me to continue my work as leader of the council. This outcome is a reflection of the council’s notable achievements since I was elected as leader five years ago.
“The council will now move forward and concentrate on issues that matter most to our residents and we will continue to actively look at new ways of working to save money, whilst providing quality services to the local community.”