A long-standing Tory councillor has been reinstated to his party after being suspended and investigated for his ‘conduct’ at a recent council meeting.
Coun Iain Gartside, who was first elected in 2004 and represents Tottington ward, was listed as an independent member for five days after losing the Conservative Party whip last Thursday.
Opposition leader Coun Russell Bernstein said he had suspended Coun Gartside from the party while he conducted an investigation into ‘issues which have been brought to my attention’. Coun Gartside’s suspension came less than a day after he failed to vote with his party on a Radcliffe First motion demanding a review of school meal arrangements in the borough.
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He was the only Conservative not to oppose the motion and abstained from the vote. On Tuesday, Coun Bernstein issued a second statement saying the matter had now been resolved.
He said: ”I have today concluded my investigation into the issues raised with me regarding Coun Iain Gartside’s conduct at last Wednesday’s council meeting. Having met and listened to his explanations I am able to confirm that with immediate effect the Conservative whip has been restored to Iain.
“I am certain most people will be supportive of Iain as he continues on the road to recovery from health problems.”
In February, another Tottington councillor, Yvonne Wright, the longest serving member of Bury Council with more than 20 years service, left the party claiming her views were ‘no longer aligned’ with the party’s leadership.
Councillor Gartside was re-elected to his seat in May’s all-out elections along with Coun Wright, who topped the poll as an independent and another Conservative, Luis McBriar.
Last month, Jordan Lewis, who had been selected as the Conservative candidate for the Unsworth ward for next May’s elections also stepped away, due to ‘a lack of confidence in the current leadership’.
He added: “I have forfeited my campaign as I don’t believe that the group are making the right choices in this stage of the council year.”
The Conservatives have 12 members of Bury Council with Labour having a comfortable majority of 28 councillors.
Radcliffe First have eight seats with two independents and a single Liberal Democrat councillor.
Coun Gartside did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.
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