SPG election loser heads strategy group

The Sole Practitioners Group (SPG) has formed a strategy committee to be headed by the loser in the recent leadership campaign.

The new sub-committee will be chaired by David O'Hagan, who failed in an attempt to oust SPG chair Arnold Rosen in the summer's election campaign.

John Lymbury, from Nottingham, who unsuccessfully stood as vice chair against Naomi Turl, is also on the strategy group, as is SPG treasurer, Norfolk-based Andrew Blencowe; Rosen is an ex-officio member.

The decision to set up the sub-committee was agreed at the recent SPG meeting in the absence of Rosen and Turl.

The idea is for the new strategy team to "give guidance to the rest of the committee on the way forward", according to one sole practitioner who attended the committee meeting.

Rosen, who had left to deal with a client matter when the issue of sub-committees was discussed, says the strategy committee was not raised with him before the meeting. "No one had written to me suggesting that the burning issues were not being addressed. It remains to be seen whether it will add to the effectiveness of the Sole Practitioners Group," he says.

O'Hagan, of Bristol firm Barry & Blott, says he regards the matter confidential.