QLocal is only too pleased to publish this e mail received yesterday from new County Council Independent Paul Greenall of Westhead.

'Please find attached the text of a speech I gave at County Hall last Thursday.

In taking this course of action, I acted in accordance with my conscience and my Conservative beliefs, and I was fulfilling the pledge I gave to voters, to be their new voice at County Hall.

I have been a Conservative since my teens and have no desire or plans to join any other Party.'

Here it is, in full: "I became involved in politics to serve my community, and to stand up for what I believe in.

Sadly, despite having a week’s notice of my intention to speak on a matter - about which I feel very strongly- this has caused some of my Conservative colleagues a great deal of angst.

Not only have I been advised that if I speak my mind on this issue, I will face “consequences”, and the prospect of being “removed” from the Conservative group, but incredibly, one colleague even suggested I must seek “dispensation” from the Whip and Leader before I can speak on a matter of conscience.

This may be granted, as long as I am not grandstanding - how utterly ridiculous!

Notwithstanding these unfortunate remarks - and the antiquated, undemocratic sentiments which accompany them, I wish to move two amendments to this report.

Last year, members of this Council cost the tax-payer over £1.2m in allowances. Whilst I do not believe Cllrs should serve their communities for free, I take great issue with the fact that having received a basic allowance of over £10k, members are entitled to claim travel and subsistence, when attending meetings at County Hall.

I work in the NHS and a university and with people from all walks of life and all income groups but we all have two things in common: when we attend our normal place of work, we all pay our travel costs, and at meal times we all buy our own food. Under HMRC rules, we cannot claim these expenses back.

When politicians are treated differently to ordinary people, something is wrong. And when politicians can claim benefits at tax-payers expense, benefits which tax-payers themselves cannot claim, something is very wrong indeed, and I feel compelled to highlight these issues regardless of the unfortunate comments made towards me!

My first amendment therefore is that members should be treated the same as everyone else, and should not be able to claim travel and subsistence allowances for attending County Hall as this should be regarded as our normal place of work.

My second concern relates to the payment of Special Responsibility Allowances to political group Whips and Secretaries, and here, I agree with Cllr Atkinson. In his submission to the Independent Renumeration Panel, he advocated the removal of SRA payments from the LibDem group Whip and Secretary. I agree with this proposal, but would go further. My second amendment therefore is that SRA payments for all group Whips and Secretaries should be withdrawn with immediate effect as Council tax-payers should not have to fund these political roles.

If members on either side agree with me, then I invite you to vote with me. If members disagree with me, then rather than make any unfortunate remarks, I invite you to vote against me. Explain why you think these payments should be made; why Cllrs should receive travel and subsistence benefits for attending what is effectively their normal place of work, when millions of others cannot; why almost £18k of Council tax-payers money should be spent each year on party political roles. Explain this, then vote against me!

So there you have it Mr Chairman, not the most controversial ideas I have ever voiced, but the circumstances which underpin them have led me to draw a very sad conclusion indeed. In May, I was very proud to be elected to serve my community, as a Conservative Cllr. and I told my community I'd be their ‘New voice at County Hall’. However, if I allow myself to be suffocated by the ludicrous rules which this Conservative group evidently insist on imposing, or face “consequences” or “removal” if I do not, then my ability to serve my community as I intended would be seriously undermined. Everything I say in this Chamber would have to be vetted and pre-approved and that would be a betrayal of the key pledge I gave to voters. And I point-blank refuse to do that!

Therefore, having discussed this with my family, plus Conservative friends and colleagues in West Lancashire, I feel I have no option but to resign the Conservative Whip at County Hall, with immediate effect and serve my community, as an independent, free to pursue a modern, inclusive, open type of Conservatism, free from the unacceptable restrictions, and comments which membership of this group evidently entails.

In short, they don't have to threaten to kick me out, for speaking my mind on a matter of conscience. I've spoken my mind and I quit!"

Well done Paul, it's a pity other LCC Councillors don't agree with your proposals

Originally Posted by Ormskirk Res

Well done Paul, it's a pity other LCC Councillors don't agree with your proposals

Well done Cllr Greenhall .