independent Cornish news and comment

Kerrier: SADNESS AT POLITICAL ATTACK ON CAMBORNE COUNCILLOR

Lib Dems and Labour move motion of no confidence against MK councillor who misses meeting in week of mother’s funeral.


Mebyon Kernow – the Party for Cornwall would like to express its anger at the cruel and politically motivated attack on hardworking MK councillor Stuart Cullimore.
The leaders of the Liberal Democrat and Labour groups on Camborne Town Council (Jeff Collins and Colin Godolphin) last night (13th July 2006) moved a motion of no confidence in Cllr Cullimore, who chairs the Council’s Planning Committee.
Stuart Cullimore, who has a near-100% attendance record on the Council, was pilloried for missing a meeting of the Planning Committee and not forwarding apologies in the same week as his mother’s funeral, during which time he was also trying to organise a nursing home for his elderly and incapacitated father.
His crime, according to Jeff Collins of the Liberal Democrats was that he had done some leafleting in a local by-election that week. At the meeting, Cllr Collins also criticised Cllr Cullimore for missing two sub-committee meetings around the time of his mother’s death. Collins made a number of deliberately misleading statements and then even had the nerve to accuse Cllr Cullimore of having ‘low standards.’
A spokesman for Mebyon Kernow said:
“Stuart Cullimore is a hardworking councillor who has a reputation in his ward as someone who really does get things done. Over the last 12 months, he has also had a 100% attendance record on both Full Council and Budget & Development Committee meetings, as well as a 95% attendance record at Planning Committee.
“That a councillor like Stuart can be subjected to such an attack on his integrity is an absolute disgrace. Those people who moved the politically-motivated motion of no-confidence at such a sad time in Stuart’s life should be ashamed of themselves. It is appalling that they sink to such depths in an attempt to embarrass their political opponents.
“It would be better if they put the same effort into trying to win a better deal for Camborne and its people.”


Cllr Cullimore distributed a letter at the meeting of the Planning Committee setting out the facts, but unfortunately still lost the vote. Six councillors were present at the Planning Meeting of whom three voted to support the no confidence motion - Jeff Collins, Colin Godolphin and Lib Dem John Beare who has only a 62% attendance at planning meetings and a 50% attendance at Full Council meetings. Charlotte Trengove, also Lib Dem, abstained.
Cllr Culimore’s letter circulated at the meeting stated the following:
“I am very disappointed that this motion has been put forward. It has upset me greatly at what has been a very difficult time for me following the death of my mother.
“I have always been a hardworking councillor. I have a 95% attendance record on this Council, though I have missed a couple of meetings around the time of my mother’s death and funeral. I apologise that I missed the Planning meeting on Thursday 22nd June and did not send my apologies.
“My mother had been cremated on the Monday (in Bristol) and I did not get back to Cornwall until late Tuesday evening. As a family, we had also been having a hard time sorting out a nursing home for my elderly father who needs 24hr a day care. Only in the last few days have we been able to get him moved from Southmead Hospital in Bristol to a nursing unit in Cornwall.
“In the week ending the 23rd June, I did do a couple of hours of leafleting on both the Wednesday and Thursday. In truth, my mind “was all over the place” and I was trying to keep myself busy by doing a bit of ‘brainless’ leafleting and certainly do not think that this should be held against me. It saddens me that some councillors wish to play politics at this time.”
Stuart’s wife, Helene, who also serves on the Council and represents Camborne South on Kerrier District Council, also forwarded a letter to the Council’s Planning Committee. It concluded:
“Under the circumstances of his Mother’s funeral on the Monday and the worry of his Father’s situation, I would have thought that the Members of the Planning Committee had a little more consideration than to make this proposal. I can only think that some Members considered this the perfect opportunity to make this low and dirty political manoeuvre.”

On page three of this press releases there is further information about attendance figures for Camborne Town Council and the hypocrisy of the Liberal Democrats in Camborne.

CONTACT
Cllr Stuart Cullimore 01209 719525

THE FACTS
1. Stuart Cullimore – attendance records
Attendance records for Camborne Town Council during the last full year [2005-2006] show that Cllr Cullimore has a record to be proud of.
Full Council - 100%
Budget and Development Committee - 100%
Planning Committee - 95%
Cllr Cullimore’s attendance record was superior to that of both Jeff Collins (Lib Dems) and Colin Godolphin (Labour) who moved the motion and, in particular, Cllr John Beare who voted for the motion.
John Beare: Full Council (50%), Budget and Development Committee (80%) and Planning Committee (62%).
Jeff Collins: Full Council (92%), Amenities Committee (91%) and Planning Committee (95%).
Colin Godolphin: Full Council (100%), Amenities Committee (91%) and Planning Committee (90%).

2. Liberal Democrat hypocrisy
The winner of the recent by-election for a seat on Camborne Town Council (North Ward) was Liberal Democrat Shirley Collings. She had formerly been a councillor but was struck off as a councillor in 2005 after missing all council and committee meetings for a six-month period.
This followed her move out of the area. This week, she claimed that “I had hoped I could manage to come back for meetings but I couldn't.” Shirley had been the Chair of the Amenities Committee during her previous time on the Council and when she was no longer able to attend meetings.
Lib Dem Jeff Collins, the Vice-chairman of the Amenities Committee at this time, made no attempt to move a motion of no confidence in Cllr Shirley Collings, who was then an ex-Lib Dem sitting as an Independent.
One has to ask why he is being so vindictive towards Cllr Stuart Cullmore. This whole sorry saga is clearly politically motivated and an attempt to undermine democratically elected MK councillors.