Elected Mayor Referendum Petition Rejected Again

Published on: 7 Apr, 2016
Updated on: 10 Apr, 2016

The latest petition calling for a referendum on whether Guildford should have an elected mayor has been rejected as not enough signatures could be validated.

Guildford Borough Council (GBC) annouced today (April 7) that the latest petition, an amalgamated petition of others from former borough councillor Monika Juneja, and submitted on March 31, has been rejected following validation, as it failed to reach the 5,012 signatures (5% of the electorate in the borough) needed.

Petition organiser Monika Juneja

The dates of the three previous petitions were: May 18, 2015, February 11, and March 10, 2016.

The May 2015 petition gained 3,570 valid signatures. The February 2016 amalgamated petition gained 4,831 valid signatures. The March 2016 amalgamated petition gained 4,814 valid signatures.

In a statement, GBC said: “The role of a directly elected mayor is different from the current ceremonial mayor of Guildford. A directly elected mayor would have wide ranging decision-making powers.”

Signatures were disregarded as they did not meet certain criteria. The council added:” This can include those that were not on the register of electors or those that failed to complete all the details needed, such as first name, surname and address, or where those details were unreadable.

“If a petition is declared invalid the organisers have the opportunity, as per statutory requirements, to collect and submit further signatures in a new petition. This can be amalgamated with the original one and the process restarted. Valid signatures on the original petition will remain so, provided they do not bear a date earlier than 12 months before the most recent amalgamation.”

Responses to Elected Mayor Referendum Petition Rejected Again

Martin Elliott Reply

April 7, 2016 at 8:15 pm

If I complain persistently to GBC, under their procedures they can rule the complaints vexatious and ignore them, even if they are actually with foundation.

Surely such sanctions are available to GBC for blatant misuse of the council petitions system. Of course we/they must be honest and truthful, even though this petition is promoted by a convicted forger and deceiver.
Bernard Parke Reply

April 7, 2016 at 9:19 pm

Surely enough is enough of this?
Jim Allen Reply

April 7, 2016 at 11:52 pm

It is time to stop this farce.
Jules Cranwell Reply

April 8, 2016 at 2:51 am

When will this disgraced former councillor give up?

We do not need her or her discredited business partner to tell us how to run our borough.

Please just carry on the good works for the community, and stay out of public life.
Peter Lloyd Reply

April 8, 2016 at 8:27 am

Complete waste of money, the person responsible for it should now accept that time and money is being wasted and that it could be spent on something the residents of Guildford actually want.
John Perkins Reply

April 8, 2016 at 10:55 am

It seems that she has just under six weeks in which to submit a fifth petition – after that 3,570 signatures on the original petition will no longer be valid.

Perhaps we can deduce from the reduction of the total signatures on her latest attempt that any further petition is most unlikely to succeed. Certainly, from May 18th we can hope that no more council time and money is wasted on this.
Paul Robinson Reply

April 8, 2016 at 1:24 pm

I believe Monika Juneja should, in the parlance of Eastenders, – “leave iiit!”
Valerie Thompson Reply

April 8, 2016 at 5:16 pm

I would have thought that after three attempts at this unnecessary petition, GBC should call a halt to the waste of money involved in dealing with the paperwork and the monitoring that the meddlesome Monika Juneja has generated and not accept any further offerings from her and her friends.
Brian Holt Reply

April 8, 2016 at 8:10 pm

Why are they still trying to get enough signatures for this “Elected Mayor Petition”? if they are not interested in standing for the job themselves?

This former councillor, convicted for forgery etc. should be ashamed of herself and stay out of Guildford council affairs.
C Dalby Reply

April 11, 2016 at 3:58 pm

Incredible that somebody that was in a position of such trust could commit such disgraceful crimes yet still believe they have a right to influence local politics.

The outrageous slander that was aimed at all that spoke out told its own story.

Quite how there was not a jail term involved I have no idea but surely there should be laws in place to ban all future activity that has any kind of local influence? The lack of dignity and respect for others here is incredible.