UK political party time

By Shaun Inguanzo
A COUNCIL formally divided into political parties and comprising 58 councillors would come as a shock to Greater Dandenong residents.
But last week a visiting councillor from the United Kingdom shared her experiences with Greater Dandenong councillors and other people in at the Springvale council chamber.
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council councillor Pearl Hall was visiting Dandenong to see her son get married.
But while in town the Labour councillor gave an insight into the workings of a large and politically run council.
Cr Hall told the Star there were 58 councillors – compared to Greater Dandenong’s 11 – covering the English north-eastern municipality.
A member of the employment issues board, she said unemployment was a growing problem but would hopefully be remedied with the reopening of the borough’s port.
The council is divided into Labour, Liberal Democrats, Conservative and independent parties of councillors, with Cr Hall’s Labour faction having a majority in Redcar and Cleveland Borough.