Dragon Interview: Six Months On… Still A Way To Go For Openness at GBC

Published on: 18 Nov, 2019
Updated on: 21 Nov, 2019

Three councillors six months on…

Is being a borough councillor as you’d imagine it to be?

Who better to ask than the three younger councillors Maddy Redpath (R4GV, Holy Trinity), James Steel (Lib Dem, Westborough) and George Potter (Lib Dem, Burpham), we interviewed in May shortly after the election.

Six months on, as well as asking them if being a councillor was what they expected, Martin Giles asks: is Guildford Borough Council really becoming more open; do they believe the council was capable of properly policing itself; should the council have more control over local planning; what had been their most frustrating and most satisfying experience as a councillor and, in the light of their experience; would they do it again?

It’s a thirty-minute watch but we think it’s worth it…

Responses to Dragon Interview: Six Months On… Still A Way To Go For Openness at GBC

Gordon Bridger Reply

November 22, 2019 at 11:04 pm

The elections of May this year were one of the most momentous in Guildford’s local history. A traditional, increasingly arrogant, Conservative majority was reduced a rump of 9 from 32.

We have never had such an influx of young, skilled and talented councillors.

It is not surprising however that in six months they have little to show as any change in the public sector takes well over a year and staff are normally resistant to changes. But with good leadership much is possible.

Councillors need to forsake party allegiances, insist on short, readable council reports, not be overwhelmed by unreadable ones, and change how the council is run.

There are policies and programmes which are relatively cost free which could be implemented and not be put off by difficulties which are often surmountable.
Jim Allen Reply

November 23, 2019 at 9:54 am

As usual, our alderman promotes ancient, knowledgeable wisdom – perhaps consultation of some of the other “ancient” members of our community could reduce costs and educate our councillors in what has gone wrong before, so they don’t waste time re-inventing the three-minute egg and the circular wheel.