New move in Trades Council president row
The TUC are to be asked to investigate the involvement of Torbay Trades Council president Mr Brian Quarmby with Bay City Radio.
The president is a director of the consortium which with two others is fighting for the broadcasting franchise of Exeter and Torbay.
He has been the centre of a month-long row which has split the Torbay Trades Council.
It came to a head at last night’s council meeting and resulted in the former secretary, Mr David Roebuck, declaring he would ask the TUC to look into the whole affair.
Mr Roebuck and his supporters claim Mr Quarmby may have a vested interest and say it is wrong for the trades council to be represented until the franchise winner is named.
“It is our duty to guard the good name of trade unionism,” he said.
Mr Quarmby’s supporters claim the president is on the board of Bay City Radio in a strictly personal capacity and not representing the trades council.
Both factions lost motions last forwarding their cause last night.
The pro-Quarmby members proposed to make it clear in writing to Bay City Radio that the president was only on their board as an individual.
The Roebuck group, saying this was not true, put in an amendment calling on Mr Quarmby to either resign from the board of Bay City Radio or the presidency of the trades council. The amendment also called for a TUC investigation.
The resolution was lost by six votes to five and the amendment on the casting vote of acting president Mr Stan Crocker after a five-five draw.
Mr Quarmby was not at the meeting.
Earlier, Mr Crocker had read a letter from Bay City Radio to trades council members pointing out that Mr Quarmby was on the board for his own qualifications and that personal gain was not involved.
Mr Roebuck replied that he had asked Mr Quarmby if he would be personally interested in Bay City Radio and the president had replied, “Yes.”
Mr Roebuck added that despite losing the amendment he would be asking the TUC to investigate.
