Members of the Conservative Group on Denbighshire County Council will be backing a Vote of No Confidence in Denbighshire County Council Leader, Cllr Jason McLellan, and his Cabinet.
The group believe the Labour-led leadership at Denbighshire County Council is ineffective and is failing residents.
In recent weeks they started talks with the Independent Group regarding a Vote of No Confidence (VONC), which has prompted the Independent Group to write to the Chief Executive of Denbighshire County Council and the Chair calling for a special meeting to hold a Vote of No Confidence within 10 working days of receipt of their letter.
Leader of the Conservative Group, and Cllr for Rhyl Tŷ Newydd ward, Brian Jones said:
“Our group have been discussing a VONC in the Labour Leader Cllr Jason McLellan and his cabinet for several weeks now. It is not a decision we have taken lightly, but one that we feel is totally necessary if Denbighshire County Council is to have any chance of recovering from the mess it is in and delivering for the residents of the county.
“There has been a catalogue of failings since the current administration took charge; there has of course been the bin fiasco, we have seen library services cut, public consultations ignored, and a complete lack of progress on a number of projects, including the Queen’s Market in Rhyl.
“Quite frankly, the council has become a joke to residents who have lost all faith in those in charge ever turning things around.”
Rhyl East Conservative Cllr Justine Evans said:
“As councillors we are the paid servants of the residents we represent and we would be doing them a huge disservice if we did not support this VONC.
“Residents across Denbighshire have watched their council tax rocket in the last couple of years, with further increases expected next year, whilst they get less in return.
“I have never seen public dissatisfaction with Denbighshire County Council at the level it currently is. People are frustrated and have had enough of being let down.
“Poor decisions by those in charge are impacting negatively on our towns. Here in Rhyl parking charges, the lack of progress at the Queen’s Market, street scene cuts, which has resulted in overgrown grassed areas and more weeds, and the demolition of the kiosks on the prom are just some of the things which have made our once popular and thriving town, a less appealing place to live and visit.
“I think the only chance we have of turning things around is with new leadership.”
Rhuddlan Conservative Cllr Ann Davies said:
“The new trolley box waste model has been a disaster from a performance and financial point of view. There is still no definite solution or timescale to resolve all the apparent flaws in the system.
“However, this is not the only area where they have messed up. We have seen library services cut, despite public opposition, and now they are looking to close public toilets. There seems to be a lot of short-term thinking from the current leadership with little consideration for the long-term impacts. Above all else, they have not listened to what residents want and need, it’s time for change.”
Prestatyn Central Cllr Hugh Irving said:
“The present administration came into office inheriting a stable financial situation, but just two years later the money has gone and instead we see financial difficulties, cost overruns and a reliance on cutbacks, redundancies presented as a voluntary exit scheme, and resultant difficulties in delivering many of our essential services.
“The Leader of Flintshire County Council stepped down recently for seemingly fewer failures!”
Alyn Valley Cllr Terry Mendies said:
“The incompetence from the Leader and his Cabinet is on another level, a VONC is the only option if we are to ensure that residents receive the level of service they deserve.
“The chaotic bin rollout, which has resulted in me collecting rubbish from residents myself, has demonstrated to us all just how ineffective they are. Residents are paying far too much council tax each year to be let down in this way. They need to go.”
Trefnant Cllr James Elson said:
“We have no choice but to support this VONC. Residents have been consistently failed over the past two and half years. It’s time we had people at the helm who can effectively deliver for the people of Denbighshire.”
Former Vale of Clwyd MP Dr James Davies and MS for the constituency Gareth Davies are both supportive of the action being taken, having themselves challenged the DCC Labour leadership over failings since they took charge in 2022.
James said:
“The execution of the trolleybox rollout has been unforgivable but so too was the insistence on proceeding with the changes at all, despite spiralling costs and many convincing arguments put to them by myself and others.
“I have also failed to understand the relentless, fanatical pursuit of a "wildflower meadow" policy which has left much of the county looking unkempt - harming local prospects for tourism and investment.
“In simple terms, the current leadership has let down the people of Denbighshire by failing to listen and failing to adequately question anything asked of them by the Labour Welsh Government.
"Nowhere has this been clearer than in the implementation of the unpopular default 20mph speed limit, where there was a missed opportunity to inject a dose of pragmatism and demonstrate sensible leadership, by retaining 30mph stretches along major arterial routes.
"Likewise, for example, we have seen anti-motorist ideology lead to the county spending £82,364.81 of public money narrowing the key entry point to Prestatyn High Street, despite the existing presence of a pedestrian crossing and strong public opposition.
"All of these out-of-touch priorities indicate a failure to wisely manage finite resources and are a key reason why local schools have been facing funding pressures unlike those in England."
Gareth said:
“The Leadership of Denbighshire County Council have presided over some of the worst misfailings our County has seen since its beginning in 1996. People are expected to pay more Council Tax for less services which is completely unacceptable and a failure to demonstrate prudent use of public finances. I therefore, with a heavy heart, back the motion of no confidence in the current Leadership of the Authority, it's time to bring Denbighshire back to what it can and should be!"
