Self-interested Tories rejected town council
I would like to take the opportunity to thank the sheer number of volunteers and community activists who helped support the campaign for Windsor Town Council – collecting the 2,000+ petition signatures, attending Zoom meetings and submitting responses.
The limitations on volunteers being able to energise a community during a global pandemic cannot be underestimated.
Despite these obstacles, there was a clear mandate in favour, after all this was not a referendum.
The vote last Tuesday not to establish a town council for Windsor underlines the sheer dysfunctional nature of the current council.
We have a proposer for the report, who then voted against his own proposal, we have current parish councillors voting against the formation of a parish council and we have non-Windsor residents patronising Windsor residents with their views of what would suit them best.
Judging by the speeches, it was clear that many members had not even bothered to read the rather excellent community governance report which took a year to produce and made a clear statement of suppor t.
As an aside, every voter against, either lives outside the town or enjoys the extra democratic representation of a town or parish council within their constituency.
Are they suggesting we abolish all of these?
Let's be clear, rather than the woolly and unsubstantiated arguments about money and bureaucracy, this vote highlights the sheer malaise in the current local Conservative Association.
One speaker spoke against the need for 21 councillors, despite this being the number proposed by his own association.
The reason is because they would struggle to find 21 candidates willing to stand under the blue rosette.
Feral self interest by those in power, fearful of losing influence over the town was the primary reason for this rejection.
This must be the first consultation in history where the views of 100 people outweigh the views of over 500.
A Windsor Town Council will replace the ineffective and ludicrous Windsor Town Forum sooner rather than later, whether that is time to save the political careers of those who put their party ahead of their residents, only time will tell.
RICHARD ENDACOTT Kingsfield
Windsor