councillors resign from tory group over electrification vote

THREE members of the Conservative group on Bridgend council have resigned after they voted to condemn the UK Government for ditching rail electification.

The group had been the official opposition on the authority, where Labour formed a minority administration after the local elections. But, after losing three of its 11 members, it is likely an independent group will now take on the role.

Conservative group leader Ken Watts and fellow councillors Julia Williams and Alex Williams all resigned after the vote at Wednesday’s full council meeting.

Coun Watts abstained but Coun Julia Williams backed the motion proposed by Labour councillor David White to write to the secretaries of state and Welsh Government highlighting their concerns over the decision to stop the electification of the mainline at Cardiff.

They called on it to be reversed due to the “significant long-term economic and environmental consequences for Bridgend”.

Coun Alex Williams was not in attendance at the meeting.

It is understood there has also been upset within the group over the imposition of Karen Robson as the Conservative general election candidate against the wishes of the local group and that Coun Alex Williams, who is chairman of a scrutiny committee, was left very upset he was denied the chance to stand.

Coun Watts would only confirm the resignations were over an “internal group issue”.

He said: “I shall not be issuing a statement other than to say we will be sitting as individual councillors and not aligned to any other group.”

It is understood Councillor Tom Giffard is now the acting leader of the Conservative group.

Labour has accused the Tories of being in “freefall”.