Letter: Thankfully, There Is Still Some Independent Thinking At Millmead

Published on: 26 Jul, 2018
Updated on: 26 Jul, 2018

Cllr Tony Rooth

From Gordon Bridger

hon alderman and former Mayor of Guildford

In response to: Borough Council Chooses the ‘Nuclear Option’ Over Committee Appointments

Congratulations on an ace piece of reporting of an almost unbelievable drama more fitting for a banana republic than a council representing one of the best-educated communities in Britain (Edinburgh is number one) and, excluding London, the wealthiest.

As I understand it, Cllr Rooth, once leader of the Conservatives, was eased out of the their inner circle as he voted against some decisions by the Conservative Executive.

Since this included opposition to a link with a massive industrial town in China and criticizing the loss of over £1 million due the “Pop up Village”, these objections were ones which most people would consider reasonable and objections that should be expected in any democratic organisation.

But his resignation from the Tory group to become an Independent allowed some of those in power to punish him further by removing him from various committees on the excuse that it upset the political balance. To a degree that is true but Cllr Childs, who was a very respected Independent for many years, had no such problems.

Cllr Furniss, deputy leader at GBC, seems to have led the attack on Cllr Rooth and insisted on a recorded vote. Was this to try and increase the pressure on those from whom he expected obedience? This time-consuming request is only used very sparingly and for important issues – not personal ones.

It must have come as a shock to Furniss when, to his horror, he found that only three colleagues out of the 37 councillors present supported him. The recorded vote only served to show how little support there was. He was even abandoned by his leader. Not a career making act.

Almost as extraordinary is a regulation, which I don’t recall existed in my day, that one solitary vote against the selection of an Independent, acts as a veto. This means that Cllr Rooth did not retain his place on any committee.

I have noticed that over the last few years the council has become, thanks to the establishment of an Executive, increasingly authoritarian Anyone challenging it is in trouble. The leaders even went out of their way to require that honorary alderman should not take political views and criticise the council. Some hope of that as far as “yours truly” is concerned!

Thankfully and commendably, (one might say, At last!) the council on Tuesday showed that there is still a spark of independent thinking. They clearly rejected Furniss’s silly, spiteful lead.

It should become increasingly clear that the community is ill-served by a system based on electing councillors on the basis of their national identities – one likely to find little favour in next May’s elections.

I wish Cllr Rooth, and other independents who stand, best wishes. The dissatisfaction with the present system needs to be democratically expressed.

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