BELEAGUERED Conservative councillor Graham Holland has been forced out of his position as chairman of one of the council's review committees.

Cllr Holland, who has represented Lamorbey Ward on Bexley Council for 23 years, will be fighting for his political future at an executive meeting of Old Bexley and Sidcup Conservative Association tonight (Wednesday).

Two days after he was chosen to stand for the new Sidcup Central ward on October 13, Cllr Holland was deselected and told he would not be allowed to stand as a Tory in any of the wards in Old Bexley and Sidcup.

It is a decision he and many of his supporters hope to challenge at tonight's meeting.

But at a Bexley Council meeting last week Cllr Holland announced his resignation as chairman of the council's corporate affairs review committee. The News Shopper understands Cllr Holland was given the choice by Tory group leader Cllr Mike Slaughter, of resigning or being removed from the chair by members of his own party.

He was told Labour members on the committee were going to move a motion of no confidence in him at last night's committee meeting, (Tuesday) and it would be supported by the Tory members of the committee.

The vote would have forced him out of the chair. Faced with that, he decided to announce his resignation at last week's council meeting.

But the News Shopper has established that while the Labour group asked about the procedure for a vote of no confidence, it had decided against taking any action.

Cllr Holland has been barred from standing for the Tories anywhere in the Old Bexley and Sidcup constituency because several times he has been two months behind in his council tax payments.

He was told: "It was felt the attitude you had taken towards your finances in no way fitted your position as a caring and responsible councillor."

Two days before, he had been selected as one of three Tory candidates for the new Sidcup Central ward.

At the same time council leader Mike Slaughter failed to be chosen, but was later selected as a candidate for Longlands ward.

One of the people on the Sidcup Central selection committee told the News Shopper: "There were only two questions to ask candidates.

"Had they ever received a custodial sentence or been bankrupt? There was nothing about being behind in their council tax.

The spokesman said: "I cannot understand why the association is doing this." She added Cllr Holland had been an excellent ward councillor and many otherwise Labour voters, voted for him at council elections.

November 15, 2001 9:36

Linda Piper