County council's deputy leader Chris Hayward to stand for election in London

5:00pm Wednesday 20th March 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Ben Endley, Senior reporter

Councillor Chris Hayward, Conservative group leader in Three Rivers and deputy leader of Hertfordshire County Council. Councillor Chris Hayward, Conservative group leader in Three Rivers and deputy leader of Hertfordshire County Council.

A senior Hertfordshire politician has defended his decision to stand for election for a third local government position in the City of London Corporation this week.

Councillor Chris Hayward, Conservative group leader in Three Rivers and deputy leader of Hertfordshire County Council, is standing for a common councilman seat in Thursday’s election (March 21).

The Chorleywood resident is eligible to stand in the square mile as he also owns a £1 million flat overlooking the Bank of England.

However, he stressed the role is unpaid and would involve no more than "one lunch time meeting a month".

He said: "It is not exactly a major time commitment. If it was anything more than one meeting then I wouldn’t do it.

"The councillors in the City of London also receive no allowances whatsoever.

"This isn’t a David Lloyd scenario, there is no income for common councilmen, it is more of an honorary body."

"The City of London is very, very different to the district council or the county council, it is unique in that it only covers the square mile and everyone stands as an independent, there is no party politics."

Councillor Hayward took over as the county’s deputy leader in November following the resignation of David Lloyd to become Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner.

Mr Lloyd initially came in for criticism for continuing as a county councillor and Dacorum Borough Councillor alongside the police role but announced he would quit the district role earlier this month.

Councillor Hayward stressed that he remains fully committed to his position as deputy leader and will stand for re-election in May’s county council elections.

He said: "I am basically working full-time as deputy leader at Hertfordshire County Council and my commitment is to the county. I will keep my membership of the district council under view.

"But I do not view this as an alternative to my role at the county or the district."

However the move has been condemned by political opponents including Stephen Giles-Medhurst who is a councillor in Three Rivers and leader of the Hertfordshire Liberal Democrats.

He said: "It is amazing and a bit puzzling how he thinks he can do all these things at the same time.

"If he wanted to stand in another area of Herts, I wouldn’t have any qualms about it but some 20 miles away in the City of London is puzzling to say the least.

"He has a full-time role at county hall and that is a huge responsibility for him, you have to wonder what he wants to do with that.

"I thought his heart was in Herts but this must call that into question."

Comments(4)

Bill_Ellson says...
8:28pm Wed 20 Mar 13

Mr Hayward appears woefully ignorant of the responsibilities that he is putting himself forward for election in the City of London. The position of Common Councilman is not honorary, and involves rather more than "one lunch time meeting a month". The London Government Act 1963 gave the Common Council of the City of London (the Corporation) the same powers and responsibilities as the 32 London Boroughs. These include education, licensing, social services, waste collection, housing, highways, street cleansing and (in a few weeks) public health. In addition to the 'London Borough' tasks the Corporation is the Police Authority for the square mile and the Port Health Authority for the tidal Thames. It also maintains Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest and other open spaces.

Although geographically small the square mile has a daytime population of around 300,000 people. The Court of Common Council consists of 100 Common Councilmen (to be elected tomorrow) and 25 Aldermen who between them share a hectic committee schedule. The last thing the City needs is somebody who only intends to attend meetings of the full Court without sharing the burden of committee work. No doubt if elected, he will expect to be invited to the various dinners and banquets.

I do wonder if Mr Hayward has told the 609 electors of Broad Street Ward that he only intends to attend one meeting a month if elected, somehow I doubt it.

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Holywell Voter says...
8:46pm Wed 20 Mar 13

The City of London Corporation is a semi-democratic feudal remnant, dominated by and working in the interest of business, so I guess the Tory Deputy Leader of Hertfordshire Council would fit in well especially as he only plans to attend once a month for a lunch time meeting. No doubt it will look good on his C.V.

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David Liney says...
12:11am Thu 21 Mar 13

He is clearly way off message - the Conservative party have agreed not to introduce candidates into the Corporation of London.

Also this makes a mockery of all the local candidates that are fighting it out this year to try and build a common council that can take the City forward, not turn it into more of a joke.

I deeply oppose much of what many of the current common council stands for, but I'll say this for them - they do a **** sight more work than one meeting a month.

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David Liney says...
12:13am Thu 21 Mar 13

Wow - the uploader turned dee aye emm enn into ****. I didn't realise Watford was so puritanical.

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