Silencing policy won’t change toxic culture

Democracy. I have been following the shenanigans at Windsor and Maidenhead council resulting in an abject apology from its council leader Andrew Johnson.

He said sorry for not listening to opposition members whose warnings historically weren’t listened to, following a damning report on the authority’s finances by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.

Accountability. He acknowledged a ‘toxic culture of undue pressure, circumventing process, closing down or blocking those who raised genuine concerns which spread throughout the organisation’.

I applaud him for owning up to these past failings of the ruling party and look forward to them changing the culture that caused them.

However it seems unlikely it will happen anytime soon given the opposition’s criticism, saying it was undemocratic to be silenced at the full council meeting on June 23 when they tried to talk about the proposed new constitution to try to make it a more inclusive council.

How are they supposed to raise their genuine concerns when they are not allowed to talk at council meetings to represent their constituents?

The Windsor Labour party agrees with the opposition stance on this.

The ruling party needs to work with all councillors to try to find a consensus on the way forward, not shut them out.

Democracy takes time but it is worth it.

Unless these changes are made, history will repeat itself at the expense of the residents.

ROY REEVES Windsor Constituency Labour Party, policy officer