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| ‘I’ve had a good innings’ |
Housing chief poised to step up
after shock departure
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Bowing out: Dame Jane Roberts
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CAMDEN’S departing leader Dame Jane Roberts has scoffed
at suggestions that she is in line for a top government job or a
seat at Westminster after quitting her high-profile role at the
Town Hall.
She said on Friday that, for her and Camden Labour Party, it was
the right time to step down after nearly six years at the council’s
tiller.
Councillor Roberts, 50, told colleagues last week she would not
seek re-election as leader and will be ready to hand over the reins
to a replacement at the beginning of November. She will also not
stand as a ward councillor at next May’s Town Hall elections.
In a one-to-one interview with the New Journal, Cllr Roberts, who
became a Dame in 2004’s Honours List, said: “It will be
a dreadful hole in my life but I’ve had nearly six years of
leadership. Most leaders do about that long, so I’ve had a
good innings.
“One of the skills of leadership is knowing when to go. I have
personal obligations as well.”
The Town Hall has just completed its biggest ever shake-up, which
has seen five offices funnelled into three super-departments amid
much upheaval.
Cllr Roberts, who works two days a week as a child psychiatrist,
added: “I needed to think what was the most opportune time
for the council and it seems to me this is the time, having successfully
completed the reorganisation.”
The council chief has long been tipped for a career at Westminster
and is known to maintain close ties with well-placed MPs and government
figures.
Earlier this year she was personally invited to Chequers to meet
Prime Minister Tony Blair over dinner.
Asked whether she would stand for Parliament or if she could be
in line for a peerage, Cllr Roberts said: “I have no idea.
For ages I’ve been told that I want to be an MP. I am not retreating
from politics. I’m not retreating from public life, absolutely
not.”
She added: “I had dinner (at Chequers), an invitation out of
the blue. It was very interesting.”
Cllr Roberts said she had enjoyed every minute of being leader but
admitted that long campaigns to convince the government to reconsider
licensing and housing policies had been testing.
She added: “Has everything been perfect? Of course not, but
I think there is some really substantial achievement.”
Liberal Democrat group leader Councillor Keith Moffitt said: “She
is a very talented politician who will be missed by Camden’s
Labour Party but I’m not surprised she thinks this is a good
time to step down because Labour do seem to be on the slide.
“She must also be very tired after fighting her own Labour
government on issues such as licensing and funding for council housing.”
Tory leader Councillor Piers Wauchope added: “I wish her well
but her stepping down can hardly be a matter of regret. Her legacy
is annual council tax rises, annual increases in staffing and increased
emphasis on secrecy and spin.” |
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Look for vintage not barcode
FULL STORY...
... and another thing....
Typical isn’t it? You leave the country for a few days
and when you get back everything you thought you knew is wrong.
FULL STORY...
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