Councillor Monika Juneja last year, when she was the lead councillor for planning, being questioned about the Draft Local Plan

Cllr Monika Juneja, who is due to face charges at the Old Bailey next week, was reported by concerned fellow Conservative party members to Guildford Borough’s returning officer, Satish Mistry, for organising petition activity outside polling stations today (May 7).

Other Conservatives colleagues, who had no advance knowledge of her intentions, were concerned that any wrongdoing could be associated with the local party and its candidates generally but, as the petitioning activity was not within the bounds of any polling station, it is understood that officials consider no laws have been broken.

According to reports, Ms Juneja was the organiser and had employed students to collect signatures for the petition which calls for a referendum that would enable Guildford residents to vote for the council to adopt an “elected mayor” form of governance.

This follows a very recent decision, apparently supported by councillors across the political spectrum, for the Guildford Borough Council to adopt a “hybrid system” allowing the current Executive to remain but with, it is hoped, improved, more effective scrutiny from a single committee.

Cllr Juneja was not selected by the Guildford Conservative Association to stand again in her Burpham seat. She is due to appear at the Old Bailey on Monday (May 11) to face charges of pretending to be a barrister, obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception, three counts of forgery and three counts of fraud.

The Guildford Dragon NEWS attempted to contact Cllr Juneja but was unable to reach her.