Innes Community Board candidate Matt Clough has called on new Green MP Mike Davidson to step aside, saying residents deserve a representative fully focused on local issues.

Davidson, who has been confirmed as a list MP, has signalled he intends to remain on the Innes Community Board if he is elected in October.

Clough said holding both roles would short-change the community.

“Being an MP is a full-time job. The hours are long, the travel is constant, and the responsibility is national in scale.

“Community board work might be part-time on paper, but it needs a consistent local presence at neighbourhood meetings, site visits, budget discussions and planning workshops.

“Trying to do both is not a mark of commitment, it is a recipe for divided attention,” he said.

Davidson pledged to donate his community board salary to the Mayor’s Welfare Fund, but Clough said that missed the point.

“Residents do not vote for donations. They vote for representation. The real value of a community board member is their time, focus and presence on the ground. That is what Innes deserves, and that is what would be lost,” he said.

Innes Councillor Pauline Cotter told chrislynchmedia.com “Mike Davidson is one of the most hard working, intelligent and effective representatives I know. He can do both roles.

“He has previously Chaired the very same Board he is  seeking election to, and at the same time he was working a full time challenging job so he knows what the Community Board will involve.

“Remember a Community Board role is a part time role and all members need other additional forms of income. Mike has always lived in the St Albans area, knows the Innes ward really well and has remained connected to the local community organisations and groups. He will be a great advocate both inside Parliament and at a local Board level.

 

I believe that a Community Board that has an MP as a member can only be better for it” Cotter said. 

Davidson has argued remaining on the board avoids the cost of a by-election, a position Clough rejected.

“Elections are not an inconvenience. They are the foundation of our democracy. Saying you will keep both jobs to save money ignores the real cost paid by residents who are left without a fully present representative.

“Holding on to a seat as a back-up role is not about saving ratepayers money, it is about protecting a political position,” Clough said.

He urged Davidson to step aside and encourage his supporters to back the remaining candidates.

“Mike should encourage his supporters to vote for the only two candidates who remain, myself and Emma Twaddell. That would avoid the need for a by-election and ensure Innes is represented by people with a genuine local focus and no competing obligations. That is a win for democracy and for our community,” he said.

Clough said his independence was his strength.

“My commitment is solely to this community, to making sure our voices are heard and our needs are prioritised. Innes deserves nothing less than undivided representation.”

Davidson did not respond to questions from Chris Lynch Media.