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Neutrality Issues

Letter in Morley Observer and Advertiser, 6th August 2008 I have considered very carefully the ramifications of this letter because traditionally, due to etiquette, he cannot answer back but, for the second time to my knowledge in the three months of his tenure (elected by his councillor peers don’t forget), the Mayor of Morley has brought the role of Morley’s first citizen into disrepute. First, he blatantly bypassed the stall I was looking after at the Newlands residents’ fun day event in May and then last week he was featured at a political protest pertaining to the impending closure of Newlands Post Office. On both occasions he was wearing his Mayoral robes, which confers political neutrality and impartiality. The former was a community event at which he should have been beyond “petty” politics. The latter was a political, not a civic event, so he should have either turned up in his “civvies” and therefore his other role as ward member for the area, or not turned up at all! Whoever advised him to do so, he was certainly ill-advised. And before he and his colleagues even begin to think I am attacking him because he is homosexual he will remember that I stood up for him against such a verbal attack on him some years ago (and took it to a very high council level) so that is a non-starter! No doubt too, there will be the typical MBI “we’re victims/everyone’s against us plot” comment. However, I do only raise this because as the Mayor of Morley, protocol dictates that a role such as the civic leader of any town should be beyond politics. I cannot imagine previous “modern” Mayors of Morley such as councillors Joe Tetley, Derek Bradley et al affording the same contempt of that role, never mind Scarth et al. Who knows, perhaps he is unfit to be the first citizen of Morley? Personally speaking, I’m not bothered either way, but maybe there is some merit in having an elected Mayor if this is the standard of etiquette from our present (chosen by his peers) incumbent? Stewart McArdle Ibbetson Oval Churwell