Welcome to Alex Kaye

I am delighted that we today formally welcomed Thorpe councillor Alex Kaye as a new member of the Conservative Group with the effect that we are now once again a majority administration. Alex has proved to be an effective and conscientious councillor both in representing the residents of Thorpe and also as Chair of the important Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee and she will further strengthen the Conservative team at the Civic Centre. It is no great surprise - Alex has been an influential conservative member in the past and her Independent colleagues were only too keen to reassure residents during her election campaign that she was a Conservative at heart. Indeed I know that a significant number of Conservative voters supported her as the best way of getting a Conservative to represent them! It is also interesting that of course Alex has not moved from one party to another. As the Independents are constantly telling us they are not a recognised party but a group of independent minded individuals. The residents having supported her for her personal attributes and there is no contradiction in her choosing to associate more formally with others who share her ambitions for the Town.