Ashford council’s new leader has dismissed as “nonsense” claims that he cannot give his all to the role because he is in full-time work.

Opposition member Peter Davison claimed that new leader Paul Bartlett cannot give enough time to Ashford Borough Council because of his job in London.

But Conservative Cllr Bartlett, pictured right, said: “I am disappointed that Cllr Davison is spouting out such nonsense.”

Cllr Davison, Ashford Independent leader, abstained from voting in Cllr Bartlett at the council’s annual meeting on May 13.

He explained: “Council leaders are leaders of all the council, not just their party.

“The new leader has a full-time job in London with extensive foreign travel.”
“In all conscience I could not vote for such an arrangement.” He said deputy leader Peter Wood would stand in for Cllr Bartlett in his absence.

Cllr Bartlett told the Kentish Express he has a full-time job as an accountant for British Land plc in Marble Arch, London – a real estate investment trust for which he works five days a week.

But, he said, he still had weekends for Ashford work and he had a flexible arrangement with his employers where he would be given time off when needed.

He explained that his business foreign travel was once-a-month day visits to France or Spain.

He added that it was desirable to have a style of leadership involving teamwork and collective responsibility where other cabinet members also make decisions.

Cllr Bartlett’s commute to London still leaves him time to attend evening council meetings and says there have been no problems so far in his first weeks of leadership.