Lib Dems Remain Puzzled By Leader’s Decision to Sack Executive Member

Published on: 25 Jan, 2026
Updated on: 25 Jan, 2026

Cllrs Julia McShane and Catherine Houston

By Martin Giles

Many Liberal Democrat councillors remain puzzled over the dismissal of a member of GBC’s Executive Committee and some were angry or upset during a group meeting last Sunday (January 18), held solely to discuss the issue, according to members present.

See: Councillor Claims She Was Dismissed as New GBC Executive Announced

Earlier this month, a GBC press release announcing an Executive reshuffle said that Cllr Catherine Houston had “stepped down”, but in a subsequent email to all councillors Houston denied this and said she had been “dismissed”, without explanation, by council leader Julia McShane.

At the Lib Dem meeting it is reported that McShane said she could not give the full reason for the dismissal without breaking a confidence while Houston was criticised for sending the email.

Councillors from various parties The Dragon has spoken to acknowledge Houston’s capability and dedication while a recent Dragon report on councillor attendance shows her to have the best record at GBC.

See: Borough Council Attendance Rates Decline

Labour councillor Howard Smith commented: “She is one of the few Liberal Democrats who can point to tangible achievements; she effectively negotiated new contracts for G Live and more impressively with Freedom Leisure for the new Spectrum contract which included year-round swimming at the Lido. It’s hard to understand the rationale [for the decision to remove her] and it’s disappointing to see her go.”

GBC’s Lib Dem group, in compliance with its constitution, elect certain appointments annually, including: group leader, deputy group leader, and a block of councillors to whom Executive posts are normally given.

Cllr Houston, who was asked to go straight onto the Executive following the 2023 election, when the Lib Dems gained sole control of GBC, was again, in May 2025, elected as one of that block.

While there is no question that the GBC leader, under the “strong leader” model the council operates, has absolute authority to appoint who he or she wishes to the Executive Committee, the question was raised as to whether it was in line with Lib Dem rules to dismiss someone elected in their group election and replace them with someone not elected, in this case Cllr Phil Bellamy (Ash Wharf).

At the meeting the question was apparently left unresolved but later, it is understood, a response from a higher Lib Dem authority said no rules had been broken.

However questions over the dismissal remain and Cllr Houston, asked by The Dragon whether  it had been subsequently explained to her why she was dismissed from the Executive Committee, would only say: “No, it is still unclear to me. The leader has not properly explained to me why. To use popular terminology, I have been ‘banished’ from the Executive.” She added that she did not intend to make a further statement at this time.

The mid-January reshuffle came in the wake of the unexplained resignations of two Executive members in December, deputy leader Tom Hunt (St Nicolas) and lead councillor for Finance Richard Lucas (Ash Vale).

Cllrs Tom Hunt & Richard Lucas

See: Two Senior GBC Executive Members Step Down But Remain As Councillors

The unusual lack of immediate replacement drew criticism from R4GV leader Joss Bigmore who said: “There is no explanation why Cllrs Tom Hunt and Richard Lucas stood down. Their portfolios have been leaderless for a month, despite the upcoming budget and size of the major project programme.”

Cllr George Potter

And in June last year another Executive member was dismissed, George Potter.

See: Comment – What Are We To Make of the GBC Executive ‘Reshuffle’?

At the time the reasons for Potter’s dismissal were not made clear but it has since emerged that he stood against Julia McShane for the position of Lib Dem group leader in group’s elections held last May.

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