Under-fire Conservatives step down in council financial row

THE leader and deputy leader of the minority Conservative group on West Somerset Council are quitting their political positions amid a row over the authority’s financial crisis.
The Conservatives lost control of the council in last May’s elections when Independent candidates backed by the Liberal Democrat-founded pressure group Direct won more seats.
Since then, Conservative leader Councillor Christine Lawrence (pictured, right) and her deputy Councillor Roger Webber (pictured, below) have been accused of allowing council finances to spiral out of control.
It resulted in both the council’s chief executive Tim Howes and deputy chief executive Rod Latham receiving huge pay-offs from the new Independent administration to leave their jobs, which plunged the authority further into the fiscal mire.
Council leader Councillor Keith Ross was forced also to abandon the much-vaunted New Horizons healthplex scheme in Minehead because there was no money in the kitty to fund the district’s share of the costs – even though work had already started.
New Horizons, which was a partnership with Somerset County Council, Somerset Primary Care Trust, and the West Somerset Community College, included a modern replacement for Minehead Hospital – and now the PCT has been unable to guarantee that it will still be delivered.
The council’s deputy leader, Councillor Simon Stokes (Labour) later called on Councillors Lawrence and Webber, who was the finance portfolio holder until May, to accept their share of responsibility for the crisis and to resign.
Now, former headmaster and chief executive Councillor Tim Taylor, who was elected in May to represent Crowcombe and Stogumber, is to succeed as Conservative group on February 1.
Both Councillors Lawrence and Webber will continue as district councillors.
Councillor Lawrence, who is also a Somerset county councillor for Dunster, said: “I have enjoyed serving the community and I am proud of the projects we were able to deliver during my term, especially the groundwork for the new hospital.”
She said she wanted to devote more time to resolving issues in her Minehead north ward and to her responsibilities as a county councillor.
Councillor Lawrence said she originally intended to hand over to somebody else after the council’s annual meeting ion May, but thought it sensible to allow a new team to be put in place beforehand.
Councillor Taylor said: “West Somerset owes them an enormous debt of gratitude and I am sure this will become more obvious over time.”

EXCLUSIVE: Council deputy chief executive quits just months into Independent control

THE officer who was second-in-command of West Somerset Council is quitting his post, just six months after political control of the authority was taken over by Independent councillors.
Deputy chief executive and director of finance Rod Latham has decided to take voluntary redundancy and early retirement to ‘pursue other areas of interest’.
The move comes just six weeks after council leader Councillor Keith Ross publicly admitted his administration was in such a state that the Government might have to step in and take over the running of the authority with its own team of auditors.
Mr Latham had faced increasing hostility from Independent candidates who were elected on the back of a campaign by Lib Dem-sponsored pressure group Direct to stop the sale of Minehead’s Vulcan Road car park for a supermarket development.
As the finance officer, it was Mr Latham who was considered the ‘brains’ behind such asset disposals and projects, including the sale of the Clanville Road car park in Minehead for housing and the council’s involvement in the £50 million New Horizons health, education, leisure, skills, and housing scheme.
As well as directing finance and assisting with the council’s corporate aims during the past eight years, Mr Latham was also a leading figure in the council’s Community Zone, formerly known as Unit 5, which was tasked with delivering many of the projects which Direct and many of the now-Independent councillors fought against.
Council media officer Stacey Beaumont told The Post: “The Community Zone is intrinsic to delivering community priorities in West Somerset, such as the district’s four Surestart Centres, affordable housing, and the ambitious New Horizons project which aims to bring health, learning and leisure benefits to local people.
“Mr Latham was also the main architect of the council’s assistance to the business community during the Foot and Mouth crisis.”
Chief executive Tim Howes, who was originally a target for the newly-elected Independent candidates but has so far survived, said: “Rod has helped shape innovative new ways of working at the council that will enable it to become a modern local authority.
“We will miss his knowledge and support, and wish him well in the future.”
Council leader, Councillor Keith Ross, said: “Rod has laid the foundations for a range of excellent community projects, such as the eco-friendly housing development at Carhampton, the development of workspace across the district, and New Horizons.
“We will continue to build on these foundations.”
Mr Latham leaves the council on Friday, November 9, and the authority has now had to hire a temporary ‘Section 151 officer’ - an officer responsible in law for its financial affairs - to fulfil its statutory responsibility until he is replaced.