Gloucester councillor defects from the Tories

Gloucester City Councillor Brendon O’Donnell has defected from the Conservatives despite efforts from MP Richard Graham to make him reconsider.

Cllr O’Donnell, who represents the Matson, Robinswood and White City, will now sit as an Independent at North Warehouse.

He says he has never really been a “true blue” and felt his hands were tied by the Tory group at Gloucester City Council.

Cllr O’Donnell says he has had to bite his tongue as a Conservative and the catalyst for his departure seeing his efforts to better help the homeless blocked by council leaders.

He said: “I was told they would not put the signage up [to guide the homeless to where they could seek help] but I’d also asked for improvements in my ward and when they refused the Billy Chip initiative I decided to leave.

“It was a knee jerk reaction originally. I didn’t think about it much because I was just angry.

“I wouldn’t have left if I hadn’t seen an article from about five years ago where they were asking people not to give money to the homeless. That’s not a long time ago, why on earth aren’t they backing this BillyChip initiative.”

BillyChip is a charity that works with shops and cafes to help the homeless. Businesses can sell blue chips to the public and instead of giving beggars money, they give them the BillyChip and they can trade it in for a hot meal and drink.

Cllr O’Donnell said he was contacted by Gloucester MP Richard Graham and they had a chat.

“I said I would reconsider and give it some thought but I decided I don’t think I want to go back as a Conservative,” he added.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been a true blue but they asked me to stand so I did. I felt I shouldn’t be asking questions of my own party.

“Nobody said I couldn’t but I just felt that way. When I asked the question and the dirty looks I got, I thought oh dear, that was the wrong kind of question.

“I couldn’t care. At the end of the day, I’ve been biting my tongue and I decide to speak up about something.

“Other organisations, charities and homeless people have all been saying here is a big problem with the system. Surely, if there is, shouldn’t they look at it again?”

Mr Graham said he did not wish to comment about the issue. He explained it was entirely a private decision by Cllr O’Donnell.

“It’s up to him to say what he would like to say,” he said.

Liberal Democrat group leader Jeremy Hilton (LD, Kingsholm and Wotton) said Gloucester is being let down by poor leadership and bickering from within the controlling Conservative group at the city council.

He said: “It’s run out of good ideas and energy. It’s divided and exhausted.”

The Labour group declined to comment on the defection and the council’s Conservative leadership has not responded to requests for comment.

By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter

Gloucester News Centre – http://gloucesternewscentre.co.uk