Published: Thursday, 10th July, 2008 08:40
Bus job under spotlight
By Adam Hewitt
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FORMER council leader David Sutton is on his way back into public life as a director at Reading Buses - alongside the man who cost him his job.
The Labour leader lost his Katesgrove seat on May 1 to Lib Dem challenger Warren Swaine, and both will now sit on the board of Reading Transport Ltd, which is wholly owned by the borough council and runs bus services in the town and in Newbury.
Cllr Tony Page has had to step down after 22 years on the board because it conflicts with his new role as borough transport leader.
At Monday’s Cabinet meeting, council leader Jo Lovelock said: “Cllr Tony Page will step down after 22 years and be replaced by David Sutton, who is of course known to all of us. We owe Cllr Page a huge debt of gratitude for the good work he’s put in over the past 22 years, particularly when he was chair, and we would not be in the strong position we are now without his hard work.”
Lib Dem leader Gareth Epps joked: “Reading Buses will miss Cllr Page’s experience, I don’t know what 22 years gets you in terms of trinkets these days.”
But he said there should be clear guidelines about the council’s relationship with Reading Transport, dominated for many years by Labour councillors and sympathisers, and chaired by Tony Jones who defected in May to become Reading’s only independent councillor.
Cllr Page said: “It’s important for Cabinet and newer councillors to reflect on the value and purpose of retaining the bus company. You only need to go to towns that are held to ransom by the big bus companies and have precious little control to realise its worth. We’re unique as a unitary authority with its own bus company, most around the country would give their eye-teeth to be in our position.”
Mr Sutton’s nomination and the role of Reading Transport Ltd was due to be discussed at the council’s corporate, community and external affairs scrutiny panel last night (Wednesday). The panel’s influential Tory chair, Cllr David Stevens, has the power to ‘call in’ Cabinet decisions for re-investigation, a compromise deal which was one consequence of Labour losing overall control of the town on May 1.
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