Council leader Simon Dudley survives first motion of no confidence vote

Royal Borough leader Simon Dudley has survived a motion of no confidence vote within his own Conservative group.

The Advertiser understands seven councillors voted in favour of the motion, far short of the 26 votes needed for it to pass, at a private meeting last night (Monday).

The motion had been put forward in the wake of Cllr Dudley's (Con, Riverside) controversial comments about 'aggressive begging' in Windsor, which prompted a media storm.

Cllr Dudley will face a second no confidence vote, put forward by the six opposition councillors in the borough, at a council meeting on Monday, January 29.

UPDATE:

Two councillors have resigned from the Conservative group in the wake of the vote.

In a joint statement, Cllr Asghar Majeed (Oldfield) and Cllr Paul Brimacombe (Cox Green) announced it 'was not considered appropriate by them to wholeheartedly disagree with the will of Group on this fundamental issue and yet to remain within the Group'.

The pair will now serve as Independent Conservative councillors for their wards.

The statement reads as follows: "Cllr Dudley informed the media last night that he had won the no-confidence vote within the Conservative Group at RBWM.  The democratic will of the Conservative Group should be respected and it is to be anticipated that Council will hear fulsome support for Cllr Dudley’s leadership on the 29th January from fellow Conservative Councillors.

"This is to inform you that Cllr Asghar Majeed and Cllr Paul Brimacombe will not be amongst those offering that support.  Immediately following the announcement of the result of the no-confidence vote, Cllr Majeed and Cllr Brimacombe resigned from the Conservative Group and departed the meeting.  It was not considered appropriate by them to wholeheartedly disagree with the will of Group on this fundamental issue and yet to remain within the Group.

"With the departure of the last of the few dissenting voices within the Conservative Group possibly an even more cohesive and purposeful Conservative Group will emerge.  Cllrs Majeed and Brimacombe will continue to represent the residents of Oldfield and Cox Green respectively as Independent Conservative Councillors, with the same core values upon which they were elected."