Council leader survives fresh coup attempt

SECOND MOTION OF NO CONFIDENCE DEFEATED

- By JAMES ROBINSON Local Democracy Reporter

THE leader of Newcastle City Council has survived a second attempt to oust her from her position in less than a year.

Coun Karen Kilgour faced a vote of no confidence at a marathon meeting of the council on Wednesday, but the motion was comfortably defeated after Liberal Democrat councillors chose to abstain.

Following a lengthy debate, the motion - brought by Independent councillor Marc Donnelly - was backed by just seven councillors, with 31 voting against, while 19 councillors abstained from the vote.

Coun Kilgour was installed as leader in October 2024, but faced an attempt led by the Lib Dems just two months later. That motion was defeated by 37 votes to 30.

After comments from Lib Dem leader Coun Colin Ferguson on Tuesday indicating he was unlikely to back the coup, Coun Donnelly urged the opposition to back his motion. He said: “In this chamber back in December, a motion was brought by the Liberal Democrats to remove the leader of the council.

“It cited chaos and claimed that there was no clear mandate to govern, and asserted that the administration was not listening to residents. What has changed since then?