Letter: Now Is the Time To Alter The System

Published on: 24 Jul, 2018
Updated on: 24 Jul, 2018

From Gordon Bridger

hon alderman and former Mayor of Guildford

In response to: Opinion: Unnatural Selection

Martin Giles is right. Residents are ill-served by a system of councillor selection which is based on being a Gallup poll for national parties.

While the attempts of residents to elect Independents have not been encouraging (except in Epsom), there is a case for thinking that the general disillusionment with national parties would lead to a reaction against supporting them at local elections.

If one adds to this the decision by the planning inspector, examining the GBC Local Plan, to accept some green belt area development, despite Conservative promises not to do so, there is a further cause for rural resentment.

Then, on top of this, there is the behaviour of the Conservative Party. They have deselected two long-serving councillors, Rooth and now McShee, because they disagreed with some decisions.

One could argue that times could never have been more appropriate to seek to alter the system. It would need, however, strong support from the many residents’ associations to succeed.

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