Head-To-Head Debate On Directly Elected Mayor Referendum

Published on: 8 Oct, 2016
Updated on: 8 Oct, 2016

A head-to-head debate with those campaigning for and against a directly elected mayor system for Guildford takes place at the University of Surrey on Tuesday, October 11, starting at 6pm.

It is two days before the referendum (Thursday October 13) that is asking registered voters in the borough of Guildford to state whether they want a constitutional change to the current system of a council leader to a directly elected mayor.

The University of Surrey Students’ Union is hosting a debate for students and members of the public, with former council leader Stephen Mansbridge and former councillor Monika Juneja of the Real Voice Campaign (the latter who sparked the referendum), speaking for on behalf of Guildford having an elected mayor, and Cllr Matt Furniss and Cllr Tony Rooth speaking for staying with the current system.

A spokesman from the Students’ Union said: “It’s hoped that the debate will help to inform members of the local community about the issues involved and give the audience an opportunity to question both sides.”

The event is free and takes place in the university’s Management School Building lecture theatre, which will be clearly signposted from the main car park, where parking is free after 5pm.

For enquiries about the event, contact Kath Phillips, student voice manager, at katherine.phillips@surrey.ac.uk

Responses to Head-To-Head Debate On Directly Elected Mayor Referendum

Bernard Parkec Reply

October 9, 2016 at 7:54 am

The Students’Union at the University of Surrey should be commended for once again taking such an interest in local borough matters.

I am sure that they are aware that a wrong decision would bind the people of Guildford for 10 to 12 years.

Long after their members have moved on to pastures new.
Jules Cranwell Reply

October 9, 2016 at 2:31 pm

How appropriate is it for University of Surrey to give a platform for a convicted criminal?
Peta Malthouse Reply

October 11, 2016 at 1:54 pm

Surrey University students were recruited by Monika Juneja and Stephen Mansbridge to collect the signatures for the petition which started this expensive and unnecessary excercise.

The students did not explain what the signature was intended to bring about or at least the one who obtained mine did not explain it.

Let them debate it among themselves, then ask why this was not staged before they started to promote the idea to the voters.
Muhammad Haque Reply

October 11, 2016 at 9:35 pm

I am the organiser of the Campaign against an Elected Mayor in Tower Hamlets.

I have been opposing an elected mayor in Tower Hamlets since 2009-2010 when the ‘referendum’ for an elected mayor was first touted.

I predicted all the wrong things that an elected mayor regime did in Tower Hamlets.

I am writing to tell Guildford – say no to an elected mayor.

It is a corrupt post from start to finish.
Brian Holt Reply

October 11, 2016 at 11:52 pm

Students were collecting signatures from voters outside the door of the polling station at Stoughton Emmanual Church at the last elections.

You are not allowed to collect signatures at a polling station, or outside the doors so the number of collected signatures from there should be void.

The police should had been called to remove them.
Paul Bishop Reply

October 12, 2016 at 7:36 pm

The debate from the No side was disappointing. It seemed everyone wanted to focus on the personalities sitting in the Yes seats rather than debating the facts.

It was extremely petty that Susan Parker and the chap sat with her brought the debate completely away from the referendum question on three occasions. Pretty pathetic ego wars in my view.

Whilst I always had pretty low views of Monica Juneja and Stephen Mansbridge, I have to admit that the idea of an elected mayor really looks like a change that Guildford needs.

The response from the No representatives gave me no confidence that they have any appetite to improve Guildford.

The fact that Matt Furniss then left halfway through didn’t give the best impression either.

I went into this referendum thinking it was a big waste of time and money. After plenty of research I’ve decided that actually, this is a real way to deliver some kind of change to the borough. It’s the kick up the backside that our councillors need!
- Peter Shaw Reply
  
  October 13, 2016 at 11:23 am
  
  I was that ‘chap’ sat next to Susan Parker.
  
  It may have come across as an ego war, but I at least (like some other members of that audience) was trying to highlight misdemeanors that may have occurred under Monica Juneja and Stephen Mansbridge leadership whilst they held public office now that they are trying to yet again influence public office.
  
  There have been many articles written about the pair in various media outlets and a big part of this debate is trust and intentions. My informed opinion is that I can’t personally trust this duo. So I can’t trust their intentions behind this campaign to change the governance structure.
  
  They both choose their words very carefully to dodge around the spirit of the questions. Ms Juneja was asked on the night if she had been given cash by Michel Harper to help with the petition. She denied that had happened, and instead of setting the issue straight there and then, waited until the cameras were off and then on Wednesday told people she had received resources and a personal assistant from him (as reported by the Surrey Advertiser).
  
  In my opinion Stephen Mansbridge did a similar thing in dodging one of my questions, when he responded “I did not lie”, but it is well documented in the media he did mislead the council and in my opinion this is a major part that led to the Conservative party losing confidence in him, so he jumped before he was forced out.
  
  If we can’t trust these people how can we trust their intentions to change the governance structure. It is my belief they want to regain power to advance their disproportionate housing development plans. I am strongly against this and under an elected mayor, scrutiny on decisions made would be almost minimal.
  
  It may have come across an an ego war, but I was trying to inform others who may not have known these things about these people about their character and hence their intentions.
Alan Robertson Reply

October 13, 2016 at 9:57 am

The kick in the backside required is to replace all councillors who have party and commercial allegiances with independent councillors who have integrity and who have the best interests of the borough at heart.

We do not need a powerful mayor who will be exposed to the many temptations which will be made readily available by unscrupulous, tax-avoiding developers.
Jules Cranwell Reply

October 13, 2016 at 1:05 pm

I watched the debate, and found the Yes supporters evasive and untrustworthy. Michael Harper has already gone on record saying he funded the referendum petition, yet they denied he had provided funds.

Who is telling the truth? If not from Harper, where did the funding come from? We deserve to know.

Apart from anything else, it was stomach churning to have to watch a convicted criminal being given such an important public platform.
Alan Sutherland Reply

October 14, 2016 at 11:16 am

Thank you to everyone who attended and watched online.

I’d like to reply to the comments about Monika Juneja being given a platform to speak.

There have been several press articles, and even a question at Prime Minister Questions about Students’ Unions ‘censoring free speech’.

We are proud to say we have never prevented a speaker a platform on our campus, and we know of no other union who has ‘no platformed’ a speaker either.

We certainly would not deny freedom of speech on the basis of criminal record. Our No Platform Policy is as follows:

5. No Platform Policy.

1. This Union condemns racism and fascism in every form;

2. This Union refuses a platform at all Union-run events to groups and their members that are known to incite racial hatred;

3. This Union refuses the attendance of a Union speaker at any events where a group or member known to incite racism hatred is expected to speak.

The big topic on Tuesday apart from the referendum did seem to be housing, and so we are currently planning a public forum, in a similar style, again streamed live – to debate housing in Guildford, probably toward the end of November.

Alan Sutherland is the chief executive of the Students’ Union at the University of Surrey