Richard Baum

The Conservative group running Bury Council has once again created the type of headlines that make all local Councillors look like idiots. The only mild saving grace is that they look more idiotic than we do, but I’d much prefer it if the brand of arrogant silliness that seems to be running through the leading group at the moment went away entirely.

The Bury Times today told the story of one Conservative Councillor’s allegations of assault against another member of his group. The whole thing makes Councillors a laughing stock, and whilst I don’t know the details of the incident, quite why Conservative Councillors can’t control themselves is a mystery.

This comes hot on the heels of last week’s story outlining the squabbles between Labour and the Tories over some remarks made at a local meeting, and the subsequent lack of apology from the Tory Councillor who made them (the same one involved in the “assault”). The Tory won’t apologise, nor will he recognise the Standards Committee to which he’s been referred by Labour.

Again, it’s a ridiculous story that makes Councillors look like school children in the playground. We’re supposed to be running the town - looked up to and respected. And yet the papers are dominated by a game of “he said, she said” that wouldn’t look out of place in the toilets at a teenage disco. Come on guys, sort it out. Stop making stupid remarks, apologise if you do make them, don’t over-react if they’re made to you, and show respect to the procedures of the Council you’re elected to.

All this looks particularly bad for the Tories, because they look even more squabbly than Labour. It’s no wonder that one Conservative said she was “embarrassed” by the antics of her colleague at the centre of these allegations. I’m embarrassed too, and the quicker the Leader of the Council takes action to bring this type of thing to an end, the less bad it’ll look for him, and the less bad it’ll look for the rest of us.

Rick