Birmingham Labour’s Cllr Jack Deakin has reportedly resigned his seat on Birmingham City Council as the representative of the Allens Cross ward in Northfield. Controversy around Cllr Deakin’s attendance drew media attention earlier this year when doubt was raised over the legitimacy of claims he had fulfilled his obligation to attend at least one meeting every 6 months. Reports suggested at the time that he had been convinced to remain in post to avoid a by-election in which Birmingham Labour would almost certainly lose Allens Cross.
Cllr Robert Alden (Con, Erdington), Leader of the Opposition and Birmingham Local Conservatives, said:
It’s outrageous that the public has been forced to foot the bill for a missing councillor for 2 years, all because Labour were scared to hold a byelection. Allens Cross residents were robbed of the opportunity to be represented at the Council and to have their say on Birmingham Labour and their missing Councillor, and of the chance to elect a Local Conservative Councillor. What is worse is that by only now allowing the missing Labour Councillor to resign, Labour have ensured that Allens Cross will continue to have no representative at the Council for the next 6 months. Under Birmingham Labour, Allens Cross residents have had higher Council tax and no representation.
Cllr Adrian Delaney (Con, Rubery & Rednal) said:
The residents of Allens Cross deserved better than what Labour has forced on them for the last 2 years – they deserved a councillor who cared, spoke up for them, and looked after their interests in the Council. Instead, they were left with a Councillor who didn’t seem like he wanted to be there anymore. It is clear that only with a Local Conservative Councillor will Allens Cross residents be properly represented. Labour should have let Cllr Deakin go a long time ago for both his sake and that of the residents of Allens Cross.
