Conservative Party aims to run Gosport Borough Council via minority as new leader opens up about Criterion future
The Criterion Theatre was purchased by Gosport Borough Council in 2022 for £600,000.
The Conservatives are looking to take charge of Gosport Borough Council - even without an overall majority.
Following the local election last week, Gosport is currently a “hung” council, with no single party able to claim majority rule. The party with the most seats is the Conservative Party with 11, followed by Reform UK with 10 seats, six Liberal Democrats, and one independent councillor.
Eyeing up leadership via minority rule, the Conservatives and their new leader, Cllr Zoe Huggins, have ruled out the possibility of a coalition. Cllr Huggins was chosen as the new leader at the party’s annual general meeting earlier this week, with Cllr Lesley Meenaghan as her deputy.
Overall council leadership will be fleshed out at a council meeting next Wednesday (May 20).
Speaking to The News, Cllr Huggins said: “There will be no coalition, neither with Reform nor the Lib Dems. But we are a minority of one, so I’m under no illusion that it’ll be all about collaborative working.
“There is a need to bring back transparency in Gosport, and I think if we don’t work together, we risk creating instability for the town. We simply want to do what’s best for Gosport.
“This is ultimately about a reset for the council - delivering practical results, more delivery with less spin, proper engagement with residents, and restoring confidence.”
Earlier this week, Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Peter Chegwyn said that he believed a Conservative-Reform coalition was on the cards, although nothing is set in stone until next week’s meeting.
The Conservative manifesto in Gosport has vowed to improve parking and housing standards, as well as making public spaces cleaner. But one of the biggest talking points in the election was the Criterion Theatre - purchased by the Lib Dem administration in 2022.
Whichever party takes control of Gosport Borough Council will need to be brought up to speed by council officers about the current status of the building.
Cllr Huggins said: “The reality is that with the current invesment climate, I don’t think we would ever get that £600,000 back, let alone the £1m spent on it since. At the moment, I don’t know the answer - I would seek to remove it off the asset list where possible, because we’re still paying for things like maintenance and security.
“It would be lovely to retain that historic frontage for the community, but if we were to sell it, any prospecive buyer would want a return on their investment too.
“We have to speak with the council officers to learn more about the finer details - the bottom line is that we have to be cautious, and we have to be realistic.”