Cllr Mark Tribe mentioned the Independents have been ‘a beautiful bunch of individuals’ however he felt it was time to maneuver on
A councillor in Swansea has switched events, saying he felt his new place supplied more practical opposition to the ruling Labour group.
Mark Tribe first turn out to be a councillor in 2022, representing Llangyfelach. He was one in every of two Impartial@Swansea councillors. 5 non-aligned Impartial councillors have been elected as effectively.
Impartial and Impartial@Swansea councillors are a part of the primary Liberal Democrat-Impartial opposition group in Swansea. Referring to the Impartial and Impartial@Swansea part of this group, Cllr Tribe mentioned: “I used to be a bit of bit disenchanted that we weren’t working as a workforce – we have been a bit of bit fractured and fragmented.
“I did not suppose we might type an efficient opposition in these situations.”
He added: “They’re a beautiful bunch of individuals however, I imagine, there was no workforce ethos. I did not suppose I used to be going to alter the technique internally.”
Cllr Tribe mentioned he’d been mulling over a transfer and was relieved by the actual fact he hadn’t acquired any damaging suggestions from constituents having knowledgeable them of his change to the Conservatives. By no means miss a Swansea story by signing as much as our e-newsletter right here
Cllr Susan Jones, who leads the Impartial grouping, mentioned: “The character of being Impartial is that you just’re Impartial – everybody’s opinion is revered,” she mentioned.
“I do not suppose Mark understood the Impartial little bit of it. If we do not agree with one thing we do not vote for it. We’re not a workforce within the sense that Mark would need us to be.” She added that she was sorry to see him go.
Cllr Tribe, 68, used to work for the Royal Mail, changing into a distribution supervisor in North London, earlier than a stint working at Llangyfelach Major College. He mentioned he voted Conservative at common elections and believed the Swansea Conservatives supplied efficient opposition.
He reckoned that almost all voters, in the event that they have been proud of their councillor, voted at council elections for the person quite than their political badge.
Requested if some Llangyfelach electors may really feel let down given his change to the Tories, Cllr Tribe mentioned: “I do respect that and might perceive it. In the event that they really feel that strongly they’ll vote accordingly in Might, 2027 (subsequent council election).”
Swansea has 75 councillors. Labour has 45 of them, together with two Labour and Cooperative Occasion members, the Liberal Democrats have 11, the Swansea Conservatives have 5, the Uplands Occasion has two, and the Inexperienced Occasion and Reform UK have one every. There are additionally 9 Impartial councillors, and one Impartial@Swansea councillor.
Welcoming Cllr Tribe to the Tory fold, Swansea Conservatives chief Cllr Lyndon Jones mentioned: “He’ll make an incredible contribution. He is an incredible native councillor.”
