Thread by @JonTolleyTweets

I'm not standing for a "portfolio position" in the council in the upcoming council year.

tl;dr Banquet has got so busy and there's just not enough hours in the day

THREAD

when we took over the council last May, I was one of 11 "returning" councillors (ie. one that had been a councillor before) with Rebekah on maternity it was in effect 10. there's 9 key roles in the leadership team. plus the mayor.

it made sense for me to take on a position, and i relished it. the newly made Community Engagement portfolio is something that was necessary, rewiring how we value and do stuff *with*, not *to*, residents and businesses.

I don't think I massively underestimated the time commitment. I knew it would be long, the documents/meets needing full attention. I was prepared for the work (typically involving 20+ hours a week on council work), got new staff in and gave up some of the Banquet work i like most

I think we're doing good things in council. of course not everything is right first time, and so many plans are years, not months in advance. being financially responsible was the first priority. lots of non-glamorous things needed to be done.

I've really enjoyed seeing how it all works, and bringing matters to the table. it's rewarding when things happen that wouldn't have without your presence. I think getting this water fountain actually in place is the most visible

https://twitter.com/JonTolleyTweets/status/1109070215827079169

I remain a committed Liberal Democrat. @libdems have reasoned solutions to so many of the UK's big issues. it seems being polarised can be more popular than being right. I despair at the state of UK politics sometimes, but we have to try and win the argument, if not the fight

I believe in @CllrLizGreen and the portfolio holders I've been working with. it's a nearly impossible time to run local authorities, and I've been surrounded by good, intelligent people doing good things. I wish i could stay involved, but i wasn't prepared for something...

my business @BanquetRecords, is 80% up on 2018, which was 50% up on 2017. we're basically three times busier than 2 years ago. the amount of work is ridiculous. yes, I have to delegate, and yes my staff have really stepped up, but there's so much to do, much of it from me.

I'm rinsed on regular 80 hour weeks when combining roles. I've repeatedly done Banquet work to a lower level knowing that i can't miss this council meeting, or replying to that email. I've not got back quick enough, or been absent which has cost us gigs or £xxxxx

something's gotta give, and it can't really be my business I've worked at for 20 years. but I don't think it will be a big problem for council. the new councillors have found their feet, and i think there's people who can do this role better than me, be it brain or time capacity

It'll also give me more time to do the stuff i got into council for. I want to be more involved with arts/culture, with stuff in my own (town centre) ward and with business needs. despite the shit, I love being a councillor and (votes-willing) don't intend to stop for decades.

also, if i don't spend time on The Wedding Of The Summer, there won't be a wedding at all. I'm so stoked on my favourite person in the world, and don't wanna be like passing ships in the midweek nights any more.

just wanna say a thanks to the officers I've been meeting with week in week out. I'll stay involved with the portfolio for sure, and would love to be a number two of sorts. but i don't wanna miss the best parts of my job, while shuffling the worst parts of it to a 7:00am slot

Of course, thanks to residents who've helped along the way. I hope we'll keep these contacts and attitude ahead.

I'm still in my role for now. and until Annual Council this Wednesday nothing is officially decided. but the above is my intention. and my reasoning.
but don't for one minute expect me to be quiet on twitter.

END