Councilbust

By Rachel Charman

Cllr Jason Luty, currently a Conservative councillor for Eastwood Park, has announced that he will run as an independent candidate in Westborough in the May elections.

Cllr Luty claims that this is a direct challenge to current Independent councillor for the ward Martin Terry, with whom he has a long-running feud.

Cllr Luty also said that he will use the May elections as a “dry run” for 2011, when Cllr Terry, Independent group leader, will be up for election.

Cllr Luty told the Evening Echo: “Ultimately because of the general election I expect (Conservative) Mel Day to win.

“Tania Painton is the current councillor for Westborough. Her term comes to an end this year and whether she will stand, we don’t know yet.”

In a Councilbust.com news item in 2009, which explored the row between Cllr Luty and the Residents Association of Westborough (RAW), Cllr Luty stated that he would be standing as an independent in the ward, although no more details had emerged until now.

Cllr Martin Terry, a current independent for the ward, said that Cllr Luty’s campaign is an attempt to split the independent vote to the advantage of the Conservatives.

He told Councilbust.com: “It is a challenge I am more than happy to take on.

“The question in many people’s minds is: why is [Cllr Luty] doing this?

“He has publicly stated that he intends to remove me; he has also stated that he has an issue with me and that it is personal.

“So therefore is he standing to improve Westborough and the town or is there another reason?

“If he was a genuine Independent why would he seek to stand against another?

“This is out-and-out Conservative Party dirty tricks, because we are the biggest threat to their domination of politics in Southend. The last 4 seats we have won have all been in very safe Tory seats.

“[Cllr Luty] has not made one positive statement about what he intends to do, he has simply attacked me and the residents association, who he mistakenly believes are backing me.

“The residents think it is an absolute joke.

“The Tory party have turned a blind eye to numerous detailed complaints from many residents regarding his antics over the last 2 years.

“The residents are fully aware of his manipulative approach and they are also aware that he has a personal vendetta against the residents association.”