Letter: Do the Independents Really Want to Follow Epsom & Ewell’s Example?

Published on: 16 Feb, 2019
Updated on: 16 Feb, 2019

From Paul Spooner

leader of Guildford Borough Council

In response to: Cllr Spooner’s Perception of Democracy is Different from Ours

As chairman of Surrey Leaders Board, I have witnessed first hand the “impact” of Epsom & Ewell Independent run council at a county level.

As they do not have a leader they are represented on the Leaders Board by a nominated chairman for Epsom & Ewell and a deputy representative.

Sadly, they are constrained from decision making at board level due to their multi-committee process taking so long, hence they are rarely able to support decision making by the board. Effectively they are disenfranchised from decision making at Surrey Board level.

Is this the future for Guildford Cllr Rooth desires or will he be “volunteering” to take on a leader role on behalf of “Independents” I wonder?

Responses to Letter: Do the Independents Really Want to Follow Epsom & Ewell’s Example?

Alan Froggatt Reply

February 19, 2019 at 6:13 am

Councillor Spooner’s continued attacks on local residents who wish to stand as Independents in the May borough council elections have reached a new level of farce. He cites Epsom & Ewell as a failing independent council, yet fails to mention that the electorate there have returned a residents’ association majority for over 80 years.

Apparently, they like the fact that there is no dominating party leader or strict party discipline, and they know that Independent councillors can work together in a successful way whilst truly representing the interests of their communities.

Once again his presumptuous view that “only political parties can run councils” is shown to be flawed. It’s time for a change, for new policies and for independent thinking.