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Mike Greene is joining his family in Bournemouth |
Greene man heads for sea, sparking by-election battle
Tories’ environment supremo leaves Town Hall and moves to coast
ONE of the best-known councillors in Camden’s recent history has quit the Town Hall to join his family in Bournemouth.
Conservative environment supremo Mike Greene has already cleared his desk following six years as a councillor for Hampstead Town, two of them as a cabinet member in Camden’s Liberal Democrat and Conservative coalition.
Councillor Chris Knight has been promoted to the executive to fill the gap.
With his playful banter and neighbourly knowledge of the Hampstead streets he represented, some have suggested that Mr Greene is better known than some of the councillors who have occupied the leader’s office at the Town Hall.
Rival councillors were happy to gossip over a pint with him and it was a matter of pride that nobody scooped as many votes as Mr Greene at the last borough-wide elections – especially as the ward had previously been a stronghold for the Lib Dems.
While colleagues met his resignation on Monday with tributes, his departure has now set up an intriguing by-election which will pit the two sides of the coalition together in close conflict.
Labour councillor Jonathan Simpson predicted “open warfare”.
“Mike will be missed,” he added. “He was definitely one of their big-hitters and the Conservatives will find it difficult to replace him. It will be interesting to see how the coalition sticks together.”
It has been the worst-kept secret at the Town Hall that Mr Greene had dreamt of spending more time in the seaside town where the rest of his family live. His wife is a Bournemouth councillor and he recently lobbied to become the Tories’ prospective parliamentary candidate in the town.
“The selection process made things clear in my mind that I couldn’t carry on representing Hampstead when the rest of my life was in Bournemouth,” said Mr Greene. “The people in Hampstead deserve someone who can be there all the time.”
He said he had taken one last drive around Hampstead before taking a holiday, bristling with personal pride as he passed by his “achievements”.
“It wasn’t just me that worked on it, but when I went past South End Green and I thought I played my part in improving the area and wondered whether it would have been the same if I hadn’t,” said Mr Greene.
“I think on the executive I have instilled some Conservative values. We have not interfered as the previous administrations have – we let people get on with what they want to do.”
Mr Greene, who had a prior stint on the council representing Frognal, said he had thought about having a crack at taking on Labour MP Glenda Jackson in the new Hampstead and Kilburn ward, but decided against challenging candidate Chris Philp in an open primary last year.
“I said to myself, ‘if I have parliamentary ambitions they lie in Bournemouth’,” he said. “I will miss Hampstead. It has been a big part of my life, but the time had come to move on.”
Mr Greene missed a big chance to get the candidacy on the south coast earlier this summer, but the process was re-started when his main rival pulled out at the last minute. He said he didn’t expect to win the re-run.
Conservative leader Councillor Andrew Marshall said: “Mike Greene has served with great verve and dedication.
“He’s delivered substantial results across street-scape and public realm improvements, sustainability and recycling, improving planning and licensing policy, and measures to promote walking, cycling and public transport.”
Test for the coalition
MIKE Greene’s resignation has set up a by-election battle which the outgoing councillor believes will test which party is best positioned to take on Labour’s Glenda Jackson at the next general election.
The Conservatives have already selected Stephen Phillips, chairman of governors at Frank Barnes School for Deaf Children, to stand in the contest, which will be held on September 25.
He said: “Of course it will be a close election – it used to be one of the Lib Dems’ safest areas. This will be a key test. If the Conservatives win, it will show they are best placed for the general election.”
Labour would love to muscle in on the contest and may have
taken heart from their strong showings locally in the London elections in May. But few people expect anything but a straight-up clash between the Tories and the Lib Dems.
Ten years ago, the Lib Dems were in complete control of the ward.
The Lib Dems had two councillors who held great local popularity in Sidney Malin and Margaret Little – soaring to wins with 600 votes margins.
But in 2002, the Lib Dems lost two seats in the ward to Mr Greene and Brian Cattell. Then in 2006 the Tories went one better by claiming a clean sweep and winning all three seats. |
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