Margot Giblin ( The Briscoe trajectory )
Now that Jeff Briscoe has declared his intention to stand for Mayor it’s worth considering what this might mean in terms of factions or groups on Council.
When I started covering meetings last year I thought I could identify three groups but it was made clear to me by several aldermen that there were effectively only two.
These, they said, were made up of Valentine, Ruzicka, Haigh, Cocker and Burnet in one with Freeman, Archer, Hayes, Zucco, Christie, Sexton and Briscoe in the other – all listed roughly as I see them in their likely adherence to their group’s view.
On asking one alderman how much direction he took from his faction’s perceived leader the answer was, ‘None. What happens is I ring him, then he rings me and we sort things out like that’. There was a reference by another alderman to having ‘got into trouble for crossing the floor’ on a particular issue late last year.
So, one group frequently has the numbers and is very supportive of its frailest member retaining a seat. Interestingly when Alderman Archer voiced his willingness to take a place on the Development and Environmental Services Committee at the last open meeting of Council (27.8.07), despite the fact that he was clearly audible and nominations were being taken, no-one supported his wish. Given that it was the first thing he has said beyond Aye/Nay since taking part in council meetings again this year the silence was deafening.
The combination of his seniority, previous chairmanship and Haigh’s absences from DESC could see him in the Chair again, a prospect that was perhaps more than his ‘group’ could bring themselves to support.
So – seats up for re-election belong to Ruzicka, Archer, Briscoe, Hayes, Christie and Cocker.
To date Briscoe is also standing for mayor and Christie for Deputy Mayor, as are Zucco and Burnet.
