New Council – new start?

By ‘Insider’

With the dust now settling after the recent local elections, Cobblers asks ‘is time finally running out for Albert ‘nine-jobs’ Nugent’?

Labour now has a majority of eight seats on Durham County Council – and Albert is beginning to feel the heat.

He survived a vote of confidence at a recent cabinet meeting, hitting out at his opponents within the Labour group who had questioned his leadership abilities.

But this Saturday (May 10) will see Nugent’s credentials severely examined when the 67 members of the Labour group cast their vote for the man whom they want to lead them into the transition to unitary government.

Make no mistake – Nugent is up against two strong contenders.

Peter Brookes, the council’s former head of community services, won Trimdon division in Sedgefield and was one of the ‘famous five’ who helped Tony Blair secure his nomination for the Sedgefield constituency back in 1983.

Simon Henig has been a Chester-le-Street councillor since 1999 – and deputy leader since 2003. He is a senior lecturer in politics at Sunderland University and has written several books on the subject.

The strong message from both Mr Brookes and Mr Henig is that of ‘unity going forward’.

It’s going to be an interesting weekend…………….