Former Council Leader Quits Tory Group and Refers To Comments On ‘Dictatorship’

Published on: 23 May, 2018
Updated on: 23 May, 2018

Cllr Tony Rooth.

Former Guildford Borough Council leader, Tony Rooth, has resigned from the Conservative Group today (May 23) following months of an obviously strained relationship with the current leader and deputy leader Paul Spooner and Matt Furniss.

Rooth had been openly critical of some council initiatives, in particular, their failed investment in “The Village”, which he considered ill-judged from the time it was proposed, and Guildford’s partnering with Dongying in China.

Get Surrey reported that “…in a statement Cllr Rooth said it was a source of ‘regret’ that some members of the community had compared the leadership of Cllr Paul Spooner and deputy leader Cllr Matt Furniss to a ‘dictatorship’.”

Although some Conservative backbenchers are believed to be equally unhappy with their current leadership it is considered unlikely that they will follow Rooth’s lead, in the short-term, at least.

A council statement said: “Cllr Rooth has resigned from the Conservative group on the council to become an Independent councillor. He has been a borough councillor for 15 years, representing Pilgrims ward [an area to the south of the Hog’s Back that includes, Puttenham, and Seale] and has held various appointments including Leader of the Council and Lead Councillor for Housing and Social Welfare.”

The political balance of the council, which has 48 councillors, is now 33 Conservative, 9 Liberal Democrat, 3 Guildford Greenbelt Group, 2 Labour and 1 Independent.

In February Rooth successfully appealed against his deselection as a Conservative candidate for the 2019 borough council elections. As a result, he had to restart the selection process from the beginning and his resignation might prevent any embarrassment that a further rejection might have caused. It is very unusual for an incumbent councillor to be deselected.

Cllr Matt Furniss.

Executive member Michael Illman also successfully appealed against deselection and it is understood his new selection application is being scheduled.

A statement issued by deputy Leader Matt Furniss said: “Following discussions between the leader of the Conservative Group Cllr Paul Spooner and Cllr Rooth it was mutually agreed that it was in the council’s best interest for Cllr Rooth to resign from the majority Conservative Group and become an Independent member going forward.”

Cllr Paul Spooner.

Cllr Paul Spooner, Leader of the Conservative Group at GBC said: “I would like to thank Cllr Rooth for his many years of service to the council and we wish him well in his new endeavours as an Independent.”

Tony Rooth resigned as council leader following the collapse of the council’s first attempt to launch a new Local Plan in 2012. It had become clear that a legal challenge to the council was likely to succeed.

Stephen Mansbridge, his deputy, led a leadership coup which Rooth at first tried to resist. But the coup was successful and Mansbridge replaced him.

Responses to Former Council Leader Quits Tory Group and Refers To Comments On ‘Dictatorship’

Jim Allen Reply

May 23, 2018 at 11:07 pm

There be trouble at mill. Perhaps the “dictatorship” will become more circumspect in its approach to the community it is meant to represent as opposed to the current state of play where the subjects are meant to mind their own business because the political elite knows what it is doing? Unfortunately, it has been proved so wrong in so many cases.
Jules Cranwell Reply

May 24, 2018 at 2:43 am

At last, a Tory councillor with a backbone. Perhaps he may cross the floor to join GGG, which shares most of his concerns?
Bernard Parke Reply

May 24, 2018 at 7:01 am

A truly honourable man.
- Jenny Procter Reply
  
  May 26, 2018 at 7:14 am
  
  Congratulations Tony Rooth! Are there any more browbeaten Conservatives brave enough to break away and attempt to work in the real interests of your communities?
Lisa Wright Reply

May 24, 2018 at 8:52 am

So, it would seem Conservative selections have been decided for the next Borough Elections.

I do hope any other deselected Conservatives follow Cllr Rooth’s lead and stay as Independents for a while. It will be interesting to see what they really think of current GBC policy.

Perhaps some of them will stand as Independent candidates next May or perhaps GGG candidates, if they want to protect our countryside.

It’s about time the council became a place of balanced debate.

Best wishes to Councillor Rooth!
John Williams Reply

May 27, 2018 at 11:07 am

Well done Cllr Rooth for going Independent and away from party politics.

Thank goodness for a consistent critic of The Pop Up Village. Why can’t Cllrs Spooner and Furniss admit that their Pop Up Village project was a cock up and the pillage of over £1,000,000 of council taxpayers’ money?

Likewise, why did they rush into an ego trip to cosy up with Dongying, a Chinese industrial city known for its oilfield and tyre making?

At last a councillor shows the guts to challenge the council’s leadership (or is it dictatorship?) over their controversial decisions. Let’s hope Cllr Rooth stays around on the council but doubtless, the Tories will now want to get rid of him as soon as possible.
- Wayne Smith Reply
  
  May 29, 2018 at 11:04 am
  
  I fully agree – well done Cllr Rooth. During the council debate into future funding for the dismal Village project (unfortunately, webcast no longer available on GBC website), it was quite illuminating to see the barbs directed at Cllr Rooth when he had the temerity to say what most in Guildford had been thinking for a very long time.
  
  No doubt the Conservative leadership (Cllrs Spooner & Furniss) will want to see the back of him but that decision is for the electorate and I hope that, come 2019, the electorate put party politics to one side and support an Independent who’s proven willing to hold GBC to account.