Graham Powell has resigned from the Cabinet!

[Colin James]

Apparently Graham Powell has resigned from the Cabinet, confirmed by Tony Johnson in letter today.

 

 

He will still apparently remain as Cllr for his ward, Golden Valley South.

 

David Harlow (Birch Ward) is replacing him.

 

Remember where you heard it first!

[Victor Wright]

Apparently Graham Powell has resigned from the Cabinet, confirmed by Tony Johnson in letter today.

 

Graham-Powell.jpg

 

He will still apparently remain as Cllr for his ward, Golden Valley South.

 

David Harlow (Birch Ward) is replacing him.

 

Remember where you heard it first!

 

Good scoop Colin, nothing on the HT website, you must have a good source of information my friend.

[K.Butt]

I wonder why he has resigned? 

[Steve Major]

Apparently Graham Powell has resigned from the Cabinet, confirmed by Tony Johnson in letter today.

 

Graham-Powell.jpg

 

He will still apparently remain as Cllr for his ward, Golden Valley South.

 

David Harlow (Birch Ward) is replacing him.

 

Remember where you heard it first!

 

 

There must be a story to go with this lol there is usually no smoke without fire, I bet there is more to come 

[twowheelsgood]

Only decent person on that Cabinet ...

[Denise Lloyd]

I have just heard the same - David Harlow a new boy from last year's election. A right hand man to the Jess - 

 

Only decent person on that Cabinet ...

Well TWG that is not really too much of a recommendation really is it?

 

HT will be reporting it now but of course of it tis Friday - knock off early day 

[dippyhippy]

I tend to agree, TWG.

 

Any other member of the cabinet group, I would be turning somersault's of delight around my back garden... Graham - and of course his lovely and much missed coat - was a bit of a steadying hand.

 

No doubt we'll hear the 'official' reasons why shortly...

[Glenda Powell]

As Graham was the cabinet member for corporate services and finance,his resignation may have something to do with Mr Robinson and the descreponcy of the money for the link road, I believe the press will be printing a story about the inquiry soon, but although they know about Graham resignation has chosen not to comment at this present moment of time.

[Denise Lloyd]

To summarise what we the public know officially and what has happened in a week of HC

 

Peter Robinson suspended following closer inspection  of figures submitted regarding the Inner Link Road

 

Graham Powell resigns from the Cabinet but will remain a Councillor

 

David Harlow a Con is selected to fill the gap in the Cabinet

 

Jess submits 2 letters of objection to the SLR - a Con MP against the thinkings of a Con Council not very encouraging

 

All coincidence or is there trouble brewing in the camp - 

[twowheelsgood]

… and don't forget the SLR has been recommended for approval by Officers.

[Bill Thomas]

Was he forced out? I always held Graham with respect, I wonder what the reason behind his resignation is?

[lpusseycat]

With my experience of going from Tesco Belmont to the Hereford Worcester road today the S.L.R. is not going to improve anything just an excuse to build more housing in an area that is a bottleneck will be compounded by more housing.

[Liveslocal]

Will be interested to hear the detail behind the headline.

 

Would also note that according to HC website Graham Powell is (was) "Cabinet Member Economy & Corporate Services" Finance is the remit of Tony Johnson the Leader of HC

[Glenda Powell]

If that is the case Tony Johnson must have recently taken over finance from Graham because it was his remit while I was a member of the authority.

[Pete.g]

Hi

 

I for one will miss Graham as one of the few good guys in this administration. Graham has personally helped me in my business after I asked for his help, he swiftly and decisively intervened and helped.

 

I wish him & his all the best, and don't wish to pry as to why.

 

Regards

 

Pete

[Maggie May]

Himillio

 

I for one will miss Graham as one of the few good guys in this administration. Graham has personally helped me in my business after I asked for his help, he swiftly and decisively intervened and helped.

 

I wish him & his all the best, and don't wish to pry as to why.

 

Regards

 

Pete

 

If it is purely personal circumstances I would agree, but it seems Mr Powell steps down the same week that Mr Robinson is suspended over accounting errors of £9million on the City Link Road which is taxpayers money. Why is the Hereford Times reporting nothing about Mr Robinson as this is more serious than Cllr Powell resigning if it is just personal reasons. Perhaps Mr Powell was just miffed Mr Johnson was re elected as leader of Herefordshire Council? 

[Glenda Powell]

While there are inquires and a external auditors do there work the HT will not be reporting on the story of Mr Robinson.

[twowheelsgood]

While there are inquires and a external auditors do there work the HT will not be reporting on the story of Mr Robinson.

 

I don't see why - this is a public interest story, let's have the facts. That is investigative reporting, which the HT doesn't seem to do any more. Perhaps Bill Tanner will get on it over at Herefordshire Live.

[dippyhippy]

Sacked rather than resigned, according to a report now on HT. Graham has issued a statement. Tony Johnson 'unavailable for comment.'

 

 

I smell a rat....

[Victor Wright]

Only took the HT 3 days to catch up lol 

[Maggie May]

While there are inquires and a external auditors do there work the HT will not be reporting on the story of Mr Robinson.

 

As someone who was employed by the Council and paid for with our money, why should there be no story at all? I am not expecting the full investigation but at least an announcement by Herefordshire Council would be something. Also, if the top man in charge of finance has gone who the hell is in charge of our money and spending at Herefordshire Council?  Also if they have made big errors in accounting for the City Link Road, how on earth can they then account for the Southern Link Road? I have heard that already over £2million has been spent on consultants fees alone. 

Please dont tell me that Tony Johnson is now responsible for finance as "we are doomed!"

[twowheelsgood]

Yes, Johnson is in charge of finance! Incidentally, the Council's 'What is the cabinet and who are the cabinet members?' page has different job roles to those shown on the 'Committee details - Cabinet' page - they shuffle around so much the webmaster clearly can't keep up. Never mind, it's only information for the public.

 

 

Corporate Strategy and Finance - Councillor AW Johnson (Leader) (Conservative)

Contracts and Assets - Councillor H Bramer (Conservative)

Health and Wellbeing - Councillor PM Morgan (Deputy Leader) (Conservative)

Economy and Corporate Services - Councillor GJ Powell (Conservative)

Infrastructure - Councillor PD Price (Conservative)

Transport and Roads - Councillor P Rone (Conservative)

Young People and Children’s Wellbeing - Councillor J Lester (Conservative)

[Pete Boggs]

I wonder who's fulfilling the legally required section 151 officer role during Mr Robinson's absence? Or does the Council allow him to carry on holding the position throughout the period of his enforced absence? Hmmm. I hope there's a properly appointed deputy but wouldn't count on it.

 

This Cllr Powell-has-resigned, no-he-was-sacked is  all rather curious. Typically no clarification whasoever from Tony "Brain Dead" Johnson.

 

Herefordshire Council, the authority that can't even do wrong right.

[Denise Lloyd]

http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/14524669.Councillor_dropped_from_Herefordshire_Council_s_cabinet/?ref=mr&lp=5

 

There is immediately a huge question mark over this - Johnson is saying GP resigned the article is saying GP was shuffled out and replaced.

 

One is telling the truth the other is nothing more and nothing less than a bare faced liar - which one?

 

GP had done remarkable work on the Fastershire and many other projects there was no reason to sack him so why? And to be replaced by a relative newbie who would not really know the ways of HC - a whole lot more to this than meets the eye I think.  Is somebody going to spill the beans or do we really have to keep on speculating?

[dippyhippy]

Wasn't Tony formerly known as TSB Johnson, because of his banking past?

 

So, here we are folks. No Chief Bean Counter. No Chief Legal Eagle.

 

Both of whom had such excellent ''credentials'. Who could have foreseen this happening....???

[dippyhippy]

Denise, you ask why this chap has been promoted to the dizzying height of our council cabinet...

 

As you say, he is a relative 'newbie'.

 

Soooooo......

 

 Possibly malleable. Possibly naïve. Possibly keen to get ahead.

 

So many possibilities as to why someone so relatively inexperienced has become the chosen one...

[Pete Boggs]

 

 

So, here we are folks. No Chief Bean Counter. No Chief Legal Eagle.

 

Both of whom had such excellent ''credentials'. Who could have foreseen this happening....???

Indeed Dippy, indeed. I mean, what are the odds? This Council only pays for the best y'know.

[Denise Lloyd]

As Graham was the cabinet member for corporate services and finance,his resignation may have something to do with Mr Robinson and the descreponcy of the money for the link road, I believe the press will be printing a story about the inquiry soon, but although they know about Graham resignation has chosen not to comment at this present moment of time.

Glenda now that it appears the Auditors have done their report and it has been received by HC (hence the actions of last week) HT can publish their report - we await the HC vetted report with baited breath.

[dippyhippy]

Very illuminating comment from Liz Harvey over at HT.

 

Graham challenged Tony Johnson for the leadership, and narrowly missed out. Next minute - sacked.

 

True Conservative style.

 

They even stab their own in the back, in order to protect ''their' little fiefdoms.

[Denise Lloyd]

This has now been reported in the hard copy of the HT with a few more comments from Tony Johnson and David Harlow.

 

The last two sentences in the report will cause a few eyebrows to be raised and I wonder at the significance of the comment.  I will quote word for word what it says so that there is no misunderstanding -

 

Quote begins "Meanwhile the Hereford Times understands a senior council officer has left his position with Herefordshire Council.  However, the local authority had not responded to an enquiry from this newspaper regarding the situation at the time of going to press." End of quote

 

Strange comment to tack onto this report.  Does anybody know who the Senior Officer in question is?