Allegiance should be to residents, not party

Royal Borough managing director Duncan Sharkey correctly called in a crack team from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) to review the council’s operations when he became aware of problems, including the improper inclusion of Clewer & Dedworth Capital Schemes in the 2019/20 Budget, dangerously depleted reserves and the risk of ‘bankruptcy’.

The CIPFA report is so damning that even newto-RBWM council leader Andrew Johnson stated that the Borough’s finance record comprised a ‘cultural failure of epic proportions’.

That culture was led by past Conservative leaders but many of the present councillors steadfastly supported that culture and preached the mantra of ‘collective responsibility’.

This sordid saga really does show the devil in the detail of the ‘whip’ and ‘collective responsibility’ ideology operated wholesale by the Conservatives in the last 11 years.

How can it have been in the interests of residents, businesses, and vulnerable groups in RBWM that these councillors repeatedly voted for Simon Dudley and the disastrous council tax policy?

How can you represent residents when your first allegiance is to your party?

You do wonder whether a leopard can change its spots.

Due to the resultant lack of funds, the many have suffered including vulnerable groups, residents, officers, and service levels. You wonder how the council intends to hold those responsible to account for this suffering.

Perhaps it is time for those councillors to fall on their swords to honour residents and staff they have caused harm to.

Cllr WISDOM DA COSTA West Windsor Residents Association councillor for Clewer and Dedworth West