Will Former Mayor Return to Council Executive?

Published on: 9 May, 2017
Updated on: 9 May, 2017

With the end of Gordon Jackson’s year as Mayor of Guildford there is some speculation that he might be brought back into the Guildford Borough Council (GBC) Executive.

Previously, in 2015, he was the lead member for economic development but he had to give up his Executive role when he took on the role of Deputy Mayor.

If council leader Paul Spooner does wish to bring Cllr Jackson (Con, Pirbright), a solicitor by profession, back it would require the demotion of an existing Executive member as they are already at the maximum allowed number of ten councillors.

Although Cllr Spooner’s deputy, Matt Furniss, has now to take on extra duties as a county councillor few, if any, expect him to give up his GBC Executive role despite claims from the former council leader, Stephen Mansbridge, who promoted Furniss to the Executive in 2012, that the task of leading on infrastructure at the borough council should require all his former protege’s attention.

It is understood that tomorrow (May 10 2017) there is to be the annual election of leader and deputy leader of the Conservative group at Millmead and there are rumours of some discontent.

If there was to be any change this might be the event at which a sign might emerge but the most likely outcome is thought to be that Furniss will remain in place.

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