County Council Leader Reacts to Resignation Rumours Saying ‘Someone Is Having You On’

Published on: 17 Oct, 2018
Updated on: 19 Oct, 2018

The leader of Surrey County Council, Cllr David Hodge

Surrey County Council leader, David Hodge, dismissed, out of hand this evening (October 17, 2018), rumours circulating that he of intends to resign before the end of the year.

When spoken to by The Guildford Dragon the council leader said that the rumours circulating “in Guildford” were untrue, before even a question was posed.

When he was asked to respond to a report, understood to have originated from a well-placed source close to the leadership, that he intended to resign in November, was true, he replied: “Somebody is having you all on,” and rang off.

The council leader, who represents Warlingham division in Tandridge, is already on record as saying that he did not intend to stand again in 2021 when he will have been the leader of the county council for a decade.

In 2016 he returned to his duties following heart surgery, was awarded a CBE in the 2017 New Year’s honours and is said to have bought a home in Devon.

But the pressure at Surrey County Council is relentless. Budgets are becoming more and more pressurised.

In July this year a report commissioned in December 2016, which cost nearly £25,000, warned that the financial position of the County Council was “extremely worrying” and that “it is at risk of becoming financially unsustainable”.

Sheila Little the finance director at County Hall quit in July four months after the appointment of a new CEO, Joanna Killian.

Cllr Hodge said in September: “While we have achieved a balanced budget or small underspend in the past eight years we actively wanted our financial situation to be independently challenged.

“We know there is much more to do to make our finances sustainable and able to withstand the huge pressures in adult and children’s services that we’ll continue to face into the future.”

Earlier this month parents a group of parents went to the to the High Court to try to quash a decision by Surrey County Council to cut more than £21m from its special educational needs and disabilities (Send) budget.

See also:

The Kingston View: David Hodge Re-elected and Other County Council News

Lib Dem County Council Leader Appalled at Decision to Quit LGA

County Council Leader Survives ‘No Confidence’ Motion But Quits LGA Role

SCC Lib Dem Leader ‘Horrified’ At Recorded Talk of Council Tax Referendum

Share This Post