Husbandry of local democracy

As a retired childrens’ social worker and therapist I read with some satisfaction your piece featuring council leader Ben Fitter-harding, his husband Jonathan and one of their young sons [‘I can be a Conservative, gay and leader at the same time’, Gazette, September 9] They rightly took pride in celebrating not only being different but being open about it too.

As we know, bringing up children is one of the most difficult life challenges for all of us; doing it well is often as demanding a task as Kent’s Emma Raducanu going from rank outsider to US Women’s Open Tennis Champion - a possible but extraordinary journey of achievement. Thus one wishes Ben and Jonathan well on this journey

But, and it is a big BUT, Mr Fitter-harding’s leadership of and governance of this local council leaves many questions about his ‘husbandry’ of local democracy.

His unilateral abolition of the forums developed over the last few years as part of his ‘centralising and control’ fixation with local democracy suggest his leadership ‘role models’ need careful re-examination by both him and his party.

He needs to tell us just who he thinks he’s emulating? Is it Boris Johnson/dominic Cummings way with silencing (sometimes by expulsion) the more liberal, ‘One Nation’ tradition of Conservatism?

Does he really listen to dissenting voices in his own party? One gathers from recent Gazette reports he does not; he seems quite happy for them to go into the ‘wilderness’ as independent council members.

‘Valuing diversity’ is an absolute principle of human ethics and human relationships. He and husband Jonathan clearly embody this in their personal lives. This is all to the good.

However there is a large historical inbuilt Conservative majority in Canterbury and District’s structure of political representation.

There are many Green, Liberal and Labour voters rendered voiceless in this present system. Are they to be included in any consultative democratic process or is Mr Fitter-harding content to keep it a closed and exclusive political domain, like a fiefdom of his own?

John Hills

St Augustines Road, Canterbury