Deborah Edwards |
Labour Leader Jo Lovelock has announced that the Labour Group will be proposing at the Council AGM next Wednesday (25th May) that Southcote Councillor Deborah Edwards should be Mayor of Reading for the coming year, and that following discussions with the two Green Councillors she also expects to form a minority Labour administration.
Cllr. Lovelock says: “Labour won nine out of the fifteen Council seats and got 40% of the popular vote, and we believe we have a mandate to form an administration and implement our manifesto. I am pleased that we have had constructive discussions with the Green Party councillors, and that they share many of our priorities. We have also been pleased to describe in detail how we intend to take things forward as soon as possible (see attached letters).
“Having a Labour Mayor would help to provide stability for the coming year because the Council is so finely balanced and the Mayor’s casting vote could be important on a number of occasions. The next year, with the Conservative-led Government imposing more cuts on Reading, will not be easy, but we will be standing up for local people and doing the best we can to protect public services.
She adds: “Deborah Edwards is a very active Councillor in the local community who will make an excellent Mayor serving the whole of Reading with energy and enthusiasm.” (A statement and background information from Deborah Edwards is also attached)
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The Labour Group will also be proposing that the Council should revert to its former tradition and ask the outgoing mayor, Cllr Gul Khan, to serve as Deputy Mayor to support the new Mayor on the understanding that he is not seeking to be Mayor again next year. The Council can then choose a new Mayor and Deputy in May 2012 and decide which tradition to follow after the outcome of next year’s local elections. |
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