'I feel the party has left me behind': Outgoing leader speaks out on reasons for his resignation

Councillor Mike Bird said the national Conservative party had forced the issue for his resignation as leader of the council after he had been suspended for three months and given a further 12-month ban from holding any leadership position within the party following a disciplinary investigation.

Following an extraordinary council meeting on Monday night, Councillor Garry Perry was appointed as the new leader of Walsall Council.

Councillor Bird said that he had done a lot of good work in his time as council leader, including increasing the number of Conservative councillors from 11 to 38, and said Walsall Council had succeeded by bucking the national trend and doing the opposite to what the national party were doing.

He said he felt racism accusations had stuck to him despite being cleared of the accusations against him.

He said: "At the end of the day, it's the national party which has forced the issue and I think that's wrong as I believe that local democracy should be local democracy, as people elected me to be the councillor for Pheasey Park Farm and, from there on, the group elected me as the leader.

"However, the intervention of the national party has overwritten that and they've imposed their will on the democratic process of electing the leader.

"I only bear ill will with the individual who created the problem, which is a cabal of people that we've been fighting as a group for some considerable time who believe and try their best to say there is a culture of racism in this council, which is absolutely not true.

"I was cleared 100 per cent of any racism but, unfortunately and as I said on Monday night, once the race card is on the table and you don't defend yourself, you are effectively guilty by default."

Councillor Bird also said that he felt the party had left him, rather than the other way around.

He said: "I'm a Conservative and have been for many years and have been here for 45 years this year, so I'm not going to change my ways.

"I haven't left the Conservative Party, the party has left me and I am disappointed because the cause of the problem is still there and all they have done is move the deck chairs on the Titanic.

"Unless they grasp the nettle of the cabal of people here who are hell-bent on derailing democracy, then the position will not improve."

Despite the end of his time as leader, Councillor Bird said he would still be there to support the party as best he could and said he felt the council would still succeed going forward.

He said: "We are a Conservative council and we have a new leader in Garry Perry and I sincerely hope they will continue to support his and the group's policies and, moving forward, try to take other seats for the Conservative Party.

"We are a well run council and I believe we are one of the best councils in the country, so I pride myself that I leave this council as leader in a good place as we've taken it from a basket case to a showcase and I'm proud of that."

Councillor Garry Perry, the new leader of Walsall Council, said, “I consider this to be the privilege of my life, to serve Walsall, its residents, and the employees of this council in the capacity as your leader.

"I am a Walsall boy, born and bred, and I’ve been an elected member now for 27 years.

"During that time, I have held various positions on the council, including Mayor of Walsall in 2011, which was another honour.

“I take my duties very seriously. More importantly, I am very much focused on people and place. Living and working in Walsall, I understand all the pressures and challenges that face residents as they go about their everyday business.

"So, whether you choose to live in Walsall, or whether you work or go to school or college here, or run a business in the borough, I understand what those pressures can feel like.

“I’m looking forward to meeting residents and working with council staff, our partner organisations, and local businesses as we work together to transform Walsall for the better.

"Over the next few weeks, I’ll be explaining more about my plans for the borough and using one phrase in particular - ‘from 24 to 40’.

"This relates to our long-term vision for the future of borough called ‘We Are Walsall 2040’. That vision needs to be realised. And it starts today.”