- Stay Connected
Socialize
Abraham Lincoln
If given the truth, the people can be depended upon to meet any national crisis...
Guildford news...
for Guildford people, brought to you by Guildford reporters - Guildford's own news service
Letter: GBC’s MD Is Very Well Respected
Published on: 12 Apr, 2019
Updated on: 12 Apr, 2019
From Claire Morris
director of finance at Guildford Borough Council
In response to: GBC’s MD Has Lost the Plot
James Whiteman has certainly not lost the plot.
He is a completely impartial and very well respected managing director who spends an enormous amount of thought and time steering a hard-working officer team through what are very challenging times for local government, in more ways than one.
He is also a local resident who cares deeply about our community and our borough (as are a lot of officers who also feel the same).
Share This Post
Responses to Letter: GBC’s MD Is Very Well Respected
Leave a Comment Please see our comments policy. All comments are moderated and may take time to appear. Full names, or at least initial and surname, must be given.
Click on cartoon for Dragon story: Public Asked for Views on SCC’s Proposal for Reduced Speed Limits
Ben Paton
April 12, 2019 at 12:48 pm
Patting one’s boss on the back is not independent or impartial evidence of anything except an institutional culture of ‘sticking up for one another’.
David Roberts
April 12, 2019 at 3:01 pm
I don’t for one minute think that Mr Whiteman has ‘lost the plot’. He is an infinite improvement on his predecessor, although on the specific matter of letting a controversial policy like the Local Plan be considered for approval by the council during ‘purdah’ I believe he is mistaken legally, politically and morally.
But what on earth is a civil servant like Ms Morris doing defending another civil servant in the press? I was one for 33 years and this never happened. If council officers are being unfairly criticised, they should ask their elected bosses or trade union to stick up for them. It is the officers’ job to run local services, not to engage in frivolous debate with the public about their own merits – especially during an election period.
It’s an odd world where property developers like WIPL can remain anonymous while council officers profile themselves in the press!
Jules Cranwell
April 12, 2019 at 5:34 pm
I’m not impressed by endorsements from his officers; of course they would say that. He has less support amongst the majority of residents.
His support for a rushed through decision, on the biggest impact to the borough in decades, is plain wrong. He should either retract or resign. We pay his salary, not his political masters, and he answers to us.
He could perhaps redeem himself if he were to take the bold step of discovering, and releasing, the names of the beneficial owners of WIPL.