A POLITICAL group that vows to challenge the 'ineptitude' of Teignmouth Town Council has announced it will stand at May's local elections. The Teignmouth Alliance of Independents, which includes serving councillors Chris Whitlock, Susan Dawe, Roy Phillips and Brenda Battershill, will stand for all 12 council seats and the six district council seats. The announcement came after Tuesday's extraordinary finance and general purposes meeting. Spokesman Edward Bush, a resident for 11 years, said he was 'absolutely staggered by the way the council was conducting itself in the name of the Teignmouth people'. 'What I saw at that meeting was total ineptitude,' he said. At times, councillors' discussions bordered on farce. One member of the public walked out in disgust and many laughed out loud at the heated exchanges. Mr Bush said the decision to form was borne out of a 'lack of faith,' in the current situation. 'People have come along to meetings and have been dismayed by what they see. One commented that some exchanges were worthy of an Edinburgh Festival for Comedy Perrier Award,' said Mr Bush. At the forefront of the group's aims will be the welfare of the community, strong local leadership and openness and transparency. It wants Teignmouth to become a Quality Council, an accreditation that includes training for councillors, a commitment to openness and a qualified town clerk. Mr Bush said: 'What has happened in the past year, and the catalyst has to be the positioning of the trimaran build on The Den, has prompted the formation of the group. 'It was always about the principle and the legality of the decision, never about the boat, and the way that the council has conducted itself over this has brought democracy into disrepute. 'I could no longer sit back and I really felt it was time to stand up and be counted,' he said. Mayor Cllr Geoff Bladon, who is not chairman of the committee, said 'I was disappointed with the tone of the meeting and the behaviour of certain individuals within it and I kept out of that. 'We were there for important issues, not least of which was to save the asset of The Point toilets for the people of Teignmouth and that is what I was focussed on and also to ensure I kept the promise I made to the people of Teignmouth concerning the Spirit of Teignmouth project.' He said that he would welcome anybody to stand at the next election. 'Anyone who believes they have something to offer the town should exercise their right to stand as a councillor. 'I would welcome anyone who wants to show their community spirit by becoming a councillor and I wish them the best of luck,' said Cllr Bladon.
