County Council leader to step down on health grounds (From The Westmorland Gazette)

County Council leader to step down on health grounds

3:45pm Monday 22nd March 2010 in

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Cumbria County Council's Leader Jim Buchanan has announced that he intends to step down as Leader of the county council at the annual general meeting on April 22nd.

After very recently being diagnosed with bowel cancer with other complications, Coun Buchanan has decided that he needs to prioritise his time and efforts to fight the disease and spend time with his family.

Coun Buchanan, 67, will continue to be the Conservative county councillor for Aspatria and Wharrels. Deputy Leader Stewart Young will stand in for the leader for key meetings he is unable to attend between now and when a new leader is elected at the next full council meeting.

Coun Buchanan said: "At this difficult time my priorities must be to my own health and my family first and, as someone with a good degree of medical knowledge through my work as a vet, I don’t underestimate the scale of the fight I’ve got ahead.

It wouldn’t be fair to myself or the council to try to continue to work as the Leader while I focus my efforts on my recovery.

"I will continue to work as a county councillor and am hopeful that I will still be able to contribute a great deal to improving the electoral division of Aspatria and Wharrels. The level of time and commitment needed to be the Leader just aren’t sustainable in my current state of health, but I can’t pretend that I won’t miss the cut and thrust of leading the whole county council.

"My friends and colleagues have been very supportive – within the county council both officers and fellow members are rallying round. I am extremely confident of the strength within the Conservative group, which will now decide on its preferred candidate in time for the Full Council AGM on April 22nd. My successor as group Leader is not my decision, it is the group’s.

The council will then decide on its new leader at the AGM.

"We have in place a council plan which makes the organisation’s priorities clear. I am sure that the new Leader will continue to build on the progress the organisation is making and its success in delivering some of the major projects within the county including CNDR, the new waste disposal contract, and the flood recovery action plan."

Deputy Leader, and Leader of the Labour Group, Coun Stewart Young said: "I was extremely saddened to hear the news, but am confident that Jim’s strength, resolve and the support of his family will be enormous assets in the fight he has ahead.

"As Deputy Leader, I will work closely with other members of Cabinet until the next Full Council meeting when a new Leader will be elected. For the county council, it will be business as usual, and the necessary deputising arrangements are in place so that the decision making process is not interrupted."