High standards, not vile outbursts needed
We have seen over the last 3-4 months in council meetings, councillors behave in an unprofessional manner, including the use of vile expletives.
Colleagues have been ridiculed and disrespected in a below the bar fashion. This is totally unacceptable and needs to stop.
We recently saw Handforth Parish
Council in the news.
Many eyebrows were raised listening to some of the members expressing their views, using unacceptable language and some even looked like they needed some form of anger management.
It’s unfortunate to say there are a few RBWM councillors who come over in the same way, which is of a serious concern.
Since being elected as a councillor in May 2019, I have experienced online abuse, intimidation and a fellow councillor trying to ridicule me for supposedly not knowing the English language, although I was born in this great country and have a good grasp of the English language, as well as other languages.
Only a few weeks ago we heard a Liberal Democrat councillor apologise at full council for interrupting and swearing at a previous full council meeting, blaming his dog for his wrongdoing. Who is he kidding?
Last year our former Madam Mayor was told to ‘go to hell’ in an extraordinary outburst by another councillor and so the list goes on…
Lines have been crossed and accountability is lacking. It needs to stop and standards must return for everyone’s benefit.
Behaviours of this kind discourage people from standing to become a councillor and with the inevitable effects on mental health, it can take its toll.
We are only human and should not have to endure this style of opposition.
There is a saying that you need to have thick skin in politics, that may be true, but there are limits to what you should be subjected to.
Of course, we need to be held to account and robustly so, but respectfully.
That means agreeing to end abuse, poor conduct and harmful behaviours.
As Conservatives, we are concerned with running the council, providing good services and value for money, protecting vulnerable people, and delivering a balanced budget.
The time we have to spend defending ourselves against cheap shots and nonsense is dead and unproductive.
I can only assume residents look on in dismay.
All RBWM councillors are elected to represent the residents and the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead – we need to fully respect the positions we are privileged to hold and I would go as far as to say aim to be a positive example for councillor conduct across the countr y.
Some councillors sadly need to take stock.
As councillors of the Royal Borough we should be setting an example of ‘high standards’, not being in the local and national press for vile outbursts.
We are answerable to the residents of the Royal Borough, who are the ultimate judge and jury.
Cllr GURPREET BHANGRA Conservative, Boyn Hill