Ben Chapelard, the Borough councillor for St James’, is said to be suffering from a ‘messiah complex’ by two of his councillors who have now walked out.
One, a Town councillor who has been a member of the Lib Dems for 40 years, has now defected to Labour, while the party’s chairman informed the borough council last week that he was now an ‘independent councillor’ following a ‘factional’ rift in the party.
The news comes as the Liberal Democrats are gearing up for the next set of local elections in May.
The 48-seat Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, which is under No Overall Control, could fall to a coalition of opposition parties if the Tories lose enough seats.
If that happens, it is expected as head of the largest party – the Lib Dems now have 12 councillors following Cllr Rands resignation – Cllr Chapelard would be first choice for any coalition’s Council Leader.
But his former colleagues have said he is too ‘childish’ and ‘immature’ to take the top job.
Lib Dem chairman, Cllr James Rands, says he has now quit the local party following a row that first erupted last July over a compliance issue with an unnamed member of the party that has now escalated into a ‘factional’ rift.
The former soldier and Culverden representative said he was convinced to stay last summer to work as ‘de-facto’ party leader due to Cllr Chapelard’s absence in the Covid pandemic as the Lib Dem leader works as a secondary school teacher.
“Ben was AWOL [Absent Without Official Leave] throughout most of 2020 and well into 2021,” said Cllr Rands. “We were all very loyal and we covered for him and said how difficult it was being a teacher in these trying times.”
He went on: “I have spent hundreds of hours trying to get the local party on track. We have some fantastic councillors and a real strength in depth within the party and we ought to be doing a lot better, but every time we start making progress Ben interferes.
“Ultimately he is running the party as his own personal fiefdom.”
Dr Alan Bullion, a Southborough Town Councillor has also left the party and announced last week he had joined Labour due to the recent Lib Dem infighting, which he blames on Cllr Chapelard.
He said the Lib Dem leader was too ‘immature’ and ‘needs to grow up’ before he can be considered fit to lead a council.
Cllr Bullion, who had been a member of the Lib Dems and its forerunner the SDP for 40 years, told the Times: “Some of it is a clear clash of personalities with James, a former military man who is very combative, but also with Ben who has this Messiah Complex.
“It is very, very sad. Ben has not been doing enough but he still thinks he can be leader of the council.
“He is far too immature for that. He needs to grow up.”
The party resignations come two years after another Lib Dem stalwart, former mayor David Neve, quit the party after 40 years blaming Cllr Chapelard’s leadership. He has now retired from local politics.
Cllr Ben Chapelard declined to comment directly on the resignation of Cllr Rands, but in a statement a spokesman for the party said: “We thank James for his contribution to the group and wish him well as an independent councillor.”
