Who could be Wirral's new leader as race heats up

Wirral Council leader Cllr Paul Stuart said he would stand down in May The race to lead troubled Wirral Council is heating up with contenders believed to be jockeying for top positions at the financially struggling local authority. The council's current leader, Labour's Cllr Paul Stuart has announced that he is standing down next month after a turbulent time at the top of the council - leading to emergency requests to the government for funding to avoid bankruptcy. The local authority leader was praised in a recent peer review of the council but has faced criticism of his leadership from both opposition councillors as well as from within his own party .

Cllr Stuart has not responded to the ECHO’s repeated requests for an interview since December. The Conservatives, Wirral ’s largest opposition party, are now claiming Rock Ferry Labour councillor Paula Basnett is running for council leader alongside Bidston and St James councillor Julie McManus as her deputy. Cllr Jeff Green said discussions are going on behind closed doors with other parties being offered senior positions raising "ongoing concerns over lack of transparency.



” Neither councillor confirmed they are in the running but Cllr McManus said the process was about “selecting the right people to realise those ambitious plans that will take Wirral forward.” Other parties hoped power would be shared fairly and stressed no deals have been made. Discussions take place in May every year as Wirral’s four political parties decide on who wants to lead them for the next year.

As no party in Wirral has a majority, discussions have to take place between parties about who gets senior positions within the council including for both leader and deputy leader. Now with Cllr Stuart soon to be out of the picture, the door is open for who the next leader could be. At the moment, no Green councillors hold committee chair or vice chair positions in the council which the party has previously criticised as undemocratic .

The Greens are the third largest party with 14 seats on the council, only three behind the Conservatives. Wirral’s Conservatives have repeatedly praised Cllr Stuart for his leadership and criticised attempts to remove him. Cllr Green claims Labour are in discussions with the Green Party about possible positions in the new administration.

He added: “This is no longer an internal matter for the Labour Party . By holding talks behind closed doors with councillors of other parties, councillors have exposed themselves again to our ongoing concerns over lack of transparency.” He said: “ Wirral Council has only just secured a £27m bailout and passed the long-delayed Local Plan.

We’re clearly not out of the woods yet – delivering the budget and attracting inward investment is going to be massive challenge in the year ahead. The last thing we need is an instability pact. “This latest stage of the political gameplaying by those jockeying for titles and positions, without any thought for the residents and taxpayers of the Borough, is gambling with the Council’s future creating havoc along the way.

“I urge those councillors who are having these discussions to publish the details of what they are offering in return for support.” However Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Phil Gilchrist offered a different view. He told the ECHO : “Given our financial problems, it is essential that individuals of all parties talk about the best way forward, and enable us to fulfil our day to day roles without even more distractions.

Our council needs a stable atmosphere to function. “There has to be a constructive dialogue, with views coming from those closely involved to find a way through the current speculation. Some views have been voiced by some councillors but these have merely been testing the waters and no deals have been put to us or offered.

“The position is uncertain till the Labour Group has held its meeting. Until that result is clear it is important that our senior officers are able to keep Wirral on the course set to manage the all-party budget that was agreed just weeks ago.” Responding to the claims put forward by the Conservatives, Cllr Basnett, considered the most likely to take over as leader in May, said: "As a matter of course, I don’t comment on internal party matters.

What I will say is that I’m proud to serve as a Labour Councillor in my ward of Rock Ferry and our borough. I was elected to stand for local people, and that’s exactly what I’m focused on — delivering real improvements in our communities and tackling the issues that matter most to residents. "Wirral faces both significant challenges and real opportunities, and it’s vital that councillors from all parties are able to work constructively together.

That spirit of collaboration is essential if we’re to build a fairer, stronger, and more resilient Wirral. "I don’t think residents are best served by political point-scoring. I’d encourage the leader of the Conservatives to focus on the real issues facing our borough because that’s where all our efforts should be.

" Labour councillor Julie McManus said it was quite normal that different political parties go through this process around this time of year, adding: “Wirral has a great future ahead and I imagine any leadership contender with any sense will want the very best for Wirral and its residents. “It therefore goes without saying that means selecting the right people to realise those ambitious plans that will take Wirral forward on the next step of its journey irrespective of political parties.” Speaking for the Greens, party co-leader Cllr Bird said: “The Green Party has always supported fair and proportional representation.

Likewise, Wirral Greens consistently support a fair share of chairs of council committees for all elected political parties. "One in four voters voted Green in the last local elections on the Wirral and one in five councillors are Green. Their voices should be represented through a fair share of senior positions.

"In the last few years, Wirral Green councillors have stood for election as chairs in public council meetings but Conservative and Labour councillors voted to grab more power for themselves." She said the Conservatives "have entered full on panic mode," adding: "We hope new Labour leaders will share power fairly, show organisational grip and welcome challenge. Many people on the Wirral tell us above all they want grown up politicians to work together for people and our environment.

" Other names previously floated to the ECHO as possible contenders for senior leadership positions include New Brighton councillor Tony Jones, Claughton councillor Gill Wood, and current deputy council leader Upton councillor Jean Robinson. The Labour Party have been approached for comment. The new leader will be installed at Wirral Council's Annual General Meeting on May 21.

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