Last week, a Conservative councillors proposed a motion to ensure Wokingham Borough Council listens to local residents and responds properly. Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors refused to support our Conservative motion to champion democracy, respecting consultations and improving transparency.
Residents say they are concerned that when they are asked about a proposal in a consultation, and they give their opinion, the decisions have already been made, and they are not being listened to by the Liberal Democrats.
We have seen repeated instances of Liberal Democrat leadership ignoring the views of residents including on Hall Farm development, bins, speed limits and parking charges. Now they’re dodging accountability, refusing any requirement to explain to residents why they won’t follow the outcome of consultations that don’t fit the Liberal Democrats’ agenda.
The motion proposed at Full Council would have required the Liberal Democrat run Council to properly take into account the responses given by residents in consultations. The Council would have needed to either not proceed with a proposal opposed by the majority of residents in a consultation, or else clearly set out why it wasn’t possible to follow residents’ stated preference. We argued this would mean the Council taking residents’ feedback more seriously, while choosing to change course if people demonstrate this is what they want.
However, rather than properly engaging with the arguments, the Liberal Democrat administration and Labour councillors instead tried to portray the motion as committing the authority to always implementing the outcome of consultations. This is absurd – as we pointed out, the proposal would still have given the option for the Council not to do something residents wanted – but the administration would have to explain this and justify it to residents. But instead, it was voted down.
You may wonder why the Liberal Democrats and Labour would oppose a motion saying the Council should respect the outcome of consultations, or explain clearly why they can’t if it’s not possible.
Conservatives believe in transparency and we are listening to residents. Time and again, whether it’s on parking charges, litter bins, California Crossroads, to give just some examples, we have brought the voice of residents into the Council Chamber.
Consultations are not referendums, but it is important that the Council genuinely listens to the people when we ask for their views. We should all be seeking to strengthen the democratic process wherever we can and improve transparency for residents. The Liberal Democrats’ name might refer to democracy, yet when it comes to upholding those very principles, they vote against.
It’s all part of the pattern we continually see from the Liberal Democrats. Recently, democracy came under threat at Shinfield Parish Council where Liberal Democrats bemoaned the need for elections and wanted to co-opt appointing their friends without giving the voters a say. When an election was finally forced, the outcome spoke for itself – people voted Conservative.
On 7th May, residents will have the ultimate opportunity tell the Liberal Democrats what they think at the ballot box. There is only one party that stood up for democracy, demanded respect for residents’ views, and fought to make your voices heard, and that was the Conservatives.
By Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, leader of Wokingham Conservatives
