Letter: Despite Error My Letter Raised Serious Issues

Published on: 17 Feb, 2025
Updated on: 17 Feb, 2025

From George Potter

Lib Dem county councillor for Guildford East

In response to: I Remain the County Councillor for Guildford South East

To clear up any confusion, I am happy to clarify that I am not currently the county councillor for the Abbotswood, Boxgrove Avenue and Ganghill areas of Burpham, although I continue to be one of the two borough councillors for the area.

The letter which has drawn Cllr Fiona Davidson’s ire was written, printed and dispatched for distribution before the news that the county elections were cancelled, and therefore has, unfortunately, in some cases only been delivered after this news was announced.

The same letter was sent to residents across Burpham and therefore talks in broad terms. Given that residents are, in my experience, not simpletons, I highly doubt that anyone would be confused by the letter, and I reject any suggestion that campaigning for the Guildford East division as the sitting county councillor constitutes some sort of misrepresentation, even if the boundaries are changing.

In fact, I am of the belief that most residents would recognise the serious issues raised in my letter, and will share my dismay that they are being denied a vote on who runs crucial services for the next four years.

Unfortunately this dismay is clearly not shared by Cllr Davidson who, when given the chance to vote against the cancellation of the elections, sat on her hands and abstained, along with the majority of the ‘Residents’ group, in an unforgivable display of political cowardice and abdication of responsibility to the people we are all meant to represent.

Nevertheless, I am glad to hear that Cllr Davidson is still the county councillor for the Burpham areas of Guildford South East, given that I have been contacted by several residents from that area complaining about longstanding highways issues which the county councillor for that area should be taking action on.

Having taken the time to write this letter to The Dragon, perhaps Cllr Davidson could now consider finding the time to write to county highways to seek action on the surface water flooding, and overgrown and potholed pavements, that the local residents are unhappy about?

The last time I had the temerity to raise any of these issues as a borough councillor I received an aggressive and rude email from Cllr Davidson berating me for daring to try to help residents in her county division, so I can only hope that she will use her additional year in office to address the issues which she so territorially tries to keep others away from.

Personally I don’t think territoriality does anything to help residents who keep on being splashed by cars at the Boxgrove roundabout due to recurrent flooding, but perhaps Cllr Davidson’s fifth year as councillor will be the charm for getting something done about it.