Jon Hartley to face no-confidence vote

Adam Hewitt • Published 3 Mar 2010 16:00 4 Comments

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Cllr Jon Hartley

READING'S education leader faces a no confidence motion in a row over schools' homophobic bullying strategies.

Labour's Jon Hartley "misled" Reading Borough Council, according to the opposition Tories, because he told its last full meeting on February 23 that it was a member of gay rights charity Stonewall's Education Champions Programme when it is not.

Tory Cllr Tim Harris said: "It is inexcusable for a lead councillor who has all the resources of the council and its officers at his disposal to say one thing when, it seems, the other is true."

But Cllr Hartley says it was an honest mistake based on bad information from officials in a briefing before the meeting.

He said: "I believe the council is now a member of the programme, or will be very soon. There's no disagreement between the three main parties on the substance or importance of this issue, but the Conservatives are clearly in a mood to make mischief because we're nearing an election."

The Tories also attacked Cllr Hartley for failing to attend three consecutive meetings of the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education. He refused to comment on that beyond pointing to a statement by council leader Jo Lovelock, in which she said he had "acceptable reasons" for not attending and thought he had sent apologies to the meetings. It said he would apologise to the body's chairman that this did not happen.

A no confidence motion at the council meeting on March 30 would likely depend on Lib Dem support, because Labour has 19 seats to the Tories' 18, but they said they would need to see full details before making a decision.

Group leader Cllr Kirsten Bayes said: "We'd need to see the details of the Conservatives' motion, and to hear Cllr Hartley's explanation on any concerns. It's important to be fair to everyone involved."

For more on Stonewall's anti-homophobic bullying strategy and its Education Champions programme, visit:

www.stonewall.org.uk/education_for_all/about_us/1727.asp

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

Cheeky
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Mar 4, 10:23
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I thought the Conservatives were confident that they would take over the Cabinet following a resounding victory at the May 2010 elections. Obviously not!

The Cons would not be doing this for publicity, would they?

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Bertie Blogs
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Mar 4, 10:57
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Can't be for publicity. The Tories don't 'do' publicity. They are boasting in today's Chronicle that gthey had 13 (lucky for some) shadow front benchers in West Reading while GB was clunking rounsd town on Monday - but apparently they didnt bother to tell the media until after they'd gone. Odd or what?

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politico
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Mar 4, 13:08
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the conservatives won't take the cabinet without lib dem support. they are defending plenty of seats their own this year, leaving them with few cast-iron pick ups. would take an absolute landslide for them to end up with more seats than lab and LD combined, no?

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Schhh you know who
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Mar 4, 15:39
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Now what would West Reading be famous for, other than Martin Salter. Of course Tesco and the ladies of Oxford Road!! Tesco does not do Duck Houses, so they must have come to discover what the ladies do! Must be another fact finding mission to learn about Reading - a city with so many facets to it.

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