THAME Town Council has failed to elect a new Town Mayor, after a stale-mate situation – twice – arose at last night’s meeting of the full council.
When a first ballot was held to decide between two candidates, Cllr Tom Wyse and Cllr David Dodds, the result was a tie. Normally in this situation the current Mayor, Linda Emery, would have the casting vote. However, other councillors said that they felt it was unfair that the result should rest on her shoulders and suggested that the ballot could be postponed until the council’s next meeting on May 9, when other councillors unable to make tonight’s meeting, would be present.
At this point it was suggested that a solution might be that other councillors present might add their names and a second ballot held. An ex Mayor himself, Cllr Peter Lambert, then ‘threw his name in the hat’ and a second ballot was held. This resulted in a three-way tie, and once again, the Mayor, Linda Emery felt unable to use her casting vote.
After much discussion, including a separate discussion between the two original candidates, no resolution could be agreed upon, and the Town Clerk advised that the appropriate course of action would be to hold a ballot again at the next full meeting of the council on May 9, and this was agreed.
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