If you want to be able to change hearts and minds at RBWM then reflect on this.
RBWM has 41 Councillors
If 21 Cllrs vote FOR something and 20 AGAINST then it moves forward.
The Independent candidates vote based on their own criteria and don’t fall out with each other because they voted a different way.
LibDems tend to follow the same path but there is an element of team loyalty steering in a certain direction. You could say this is normal for those that want to be part of a group, they’ll not want to stand out.
The Conservatives vote with the Whip which means they are not allowed to have an opinion, they have to go with what the leader wants to happen in a given situation.
Because the current council has a majority of Tory Cllrs then whatever the leader wants will happen.
If you had a council made up of more Independent minds then you would be able to have more influence on decision making because you could lobby Cllrs and reinforce or change their minds on a topic.
But you need to be careful of “Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing”… knowing how poorly the Conservatives are thought of at this time, they will also be fielding a number of supposedly Independent candidates who are really Tory activists who will sign up to follow the Whip if elected. They have probably been promised an additional role, which will command an allowance, if the Conservatives plus their activists are successful in landing a majority.
That’s how it works in politics so be aware.
Thank you.
Jon
Interesting thoughts John. Another way of looking at how Lib Dems vote is that we all subscribe to a set of principles in being members of the Liberal Democrats (read the opening of our constitution). That means that we broadly hold the same beliefs and values so will tend to vote in similar ways. Obviously individuals will have particular reasons for diverging from that path based on ward circumstances etc. I’d hate to be whipped.