Robert Nye Leader of Horsham District Council resigned on 14 December offering his private financial arrangements as explanation. His surprise resignation automatically triggers a by election in the council seat of Itchingfield, Slinfold and Warnham which is due to take place on Thursday 16th of February.
Our reaction to his resignation as reported in the County Times the following day was as follows
‘Horsham Labour Party has twice before called for his resignation on the grounds that we feel he has led a discredited council which has consistently ignored the needs of Horsham residents, most noticeably over the botched negotiations he led in respect of the West of Horsham development where he delivered profits for developers ahead of the affordable homes we so desperately need, and indeed the council has previously identified. Had Cllr Nye still been leader, Horsham Labour Party would have once more called for his resignation as a result of the rushed consultation process relating to the future of our district leisure facilities.’
This by election provides local residents with the opportunity to vote against a council that has delivered massive overspends in its flagship Acorn Recycling scheme, seen spending on consultants rocket , proposed selling off of our community assets such as the Old Town Hall, and proposed the demolition of Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre, not to forget the massive under delivery of affordable homes. If you like what your Council is doing then vote Tory or Lib Dem for more of the same, but if you want to hear an alternative voice in the Council Chamber that will stand up for local people then why not support our candidate?
We will post regular by-election updates including details of our candidate and our campaign but in the meantime if you would like to help Labour win on the 16th of February the please get in contact with Ray Chapman by emailing secretary@horsham-labour.org.uk