Senior Leamington councillor's position questioned over availability

Councillor Ella Billiald (Green, Leamington Willes) is Warwick District Council’s portfolio holder for arts and economy, which includes responsibility for economic development and regeneration including events, markets and tourism.

The council’s website lists duties that are “common to portfolio holders” – members of the Green-Labour coalition who oversee the authority's major service areas – including “attending relevant working parties and outside bodies when appointed as cabinet’s representative”.

However, Labour group leader Councillor Chris King (Leamington Clarendon) has been put forward to represent the council on the Local Visitor Economy Partnership Member Forum and Shakespeare's England Board.

Usually, such appointments are waved through without comment but Councillor Jan Matecki (Con, Budbrooke) raised concern at last week’s meeting for all councillors.

“I think we have already seen within tonight’s questions (to cabinet members, a regular part of council meetings) where we had a question (that could go) to two portfolio holders, one for housing, one for sustainable housing. There is a definite conflict there,” he said.

“I am not quite sure why Councillor Billiald is not the representative on this board. She is the portfolio holder for arts and culture, which includes tourism, and this plays a very big part (in that).

“I don’t know why we have Councillor King, whose responsibility is development and planning, on a board that is solely to do with tourism.”

The appointment is within the scope of leader Councillor Ian Davison (Green, Leamington Brunswick).

He said: “You may well know that Councillor Billiald works full-time and try as she might, for both of these she cannot get the meetings moved from in the day.

“Either we have Councillor Billiald sending her apologies every time or we have someone else. I am very pleased that Councillor King is prepared to do it.”

Cllr Matecki did not respond formally but turned towards party colleagues, shrugged and said: “So why is she the portfolio holder?”

That view gained support from elsewhere with the four Conservatives present joined by Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Alan Boad, his party colleague Councillor Phil Kohler (both Leamington Lillington) and Councillor Judy Falp (Whitnash Residents, Whitnash) in voting against but there was still more enough support for the appointment to pass.

Neither Cllr Billiald nor Cllr King were in attendance.