Giving up the seat for Farnham’s Upper Hale Ward was a wrench for ‘Your Waverley’s council leader Julia Potts. She leaves the ward she has represented at ‘Your Waverley’ for the past eight years with – “a heavy heart.”
Nothing to do with being fearful that she needed a much safer seat in True, blue Tory Tilford – no – of course not – and the Waverley Web’s true identity is Mary Poppins! And Protect Our Waverley wants to stop development in the borough, and not just at Dunsfold Park!
She also says in the Herald’s new tabloid edition that she is giving up her Farnham Town Council seat so that she can concentrate on with being Leader of Waverley Borough Council? The typical arrogance we have come to expect. A little more humility would not come amiss Potty One.
If you were so confident of your popularity then why not stay loyal to the residents of Upper Hale?
Let’s hope you get the soft landing you are so confident of receiving from the residents of your new hunting ground?
Julia Potts getting ready to land in her newly acquired ward. Others too are being shuffled and set down like early Spring cuckoos in other ward’s nests.The bid to keep control of ‘Your Waverley’ is on.
As if we haven’t had enough fighting nationally – now we’re about to get it locally!
So Potty – put the kettle on?
The countdown to the May elections has begun.
For the first time for four years, voters have an opportunity to make a dent in one of the most arrogant and dominant Tory administrations this borough has ever had the misfortune to witness, (if the webcast is working.)
It has seen off two plumply salaried and well- compensated failing Chief Executives – numerous heads of services – including two chief planning officers – and more planning, senior officers and staff, than you could shake a stick at!
One of whom is standing for election as a Farnham Residents’ candidate. We wonder how many secrets she will be revealing to the electorate of the inner-workings of Waverley Towers? Maybe, she believes she can achieve more from the outside than within?
Suffice to say – morale among staff, some senior officers and councillors, has never been worse. Outside consultants, Cratus Communications, was brought in to delve into the Waverley swamp to investigate relationships between councillors and officers. It found ‘YW’ to be seriously wanting.
In its strategic review, Cratus found there needed to be a – ‘change of culture at YW.’ The WW is well-known for its cynicism, but change a culture endemic and buried deeper than the Great Train robbers’ stolen dosh? Difficult!
In an ideal world, the ballot paper should not include any party affiliations. Every elected councillor is there to work on behalf of, and do their best for, everyone in the borough of Waverley. This applies to the Farnham and Hindhead councillors who have treated the more rural areas in the east of the borough with contempt. Those who they denigrate not only deserve but are entitled to respect!
Politics and control, should not be the prime influence at parish or borough level. The council has been in the grip of the Tory party for far too long, 49 Tories, one Lib Dem, six Farnham Residents’, one vacancy. No checks or balance is no basis for good government. Neither is the level of contempt to which this small group of ‘opposition’ members is held by their Tory masters.
The Conservatives have, with rat-like cunning and determination, held on with a vice-like grip, to power. Almost every chairmanship and role within the Cabinet is jealously guarded by the Tories. Ever reluctant to allow the minority groups even a minimum of influence. Often side-lining their own backbenchers and keeping them in the dark. Power corrupts – absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The Mayor must be a Conservative, regardless of whether a more suitable or longer serving candidate exists outside the confines of THE ruling party. Why? Harold and Elsie Denningberg Labour Councillors representing Godalming for many years were loved and admired by everyone in Waverley. As were Doreen & Bill Bellerby in Guildford. In days long gone when politics was not polarised and when the health and welfare of the boroughs were all the better for it.
The May local elections could herald a sea change in how business is carried out in future in Waverley.
Of the 57 seats available a total of 53 will be contested. Areas, where seats are uncontested, are unhealthy in a democracy. Candidates should be shlepping through the April showers to determine and learn about, and act on public concerns.
As for carpetbagging around the borough for a seat when you have made yourself so unpopular on home-ground that you are de-selected by your local party faithful is reprehensible. We hope Bramley residents will recognise this, and ask their Cranleigh neighbours – WHY?
So too is parachuting from an unsafe Farnham seat into a safe Tory seat elsewhere to keep a stranglehold on leadership?
In Hindhead, Haslemere and Godalming, there needs to be a fundamental change in the expectation of the service voters are entitled to expect from their elected representatives. Cllrs Turning up for 20% of meetings, not turning up at all, or not having the good manners to resign, or explain long absences whilst collecting allowances, should be given the yellow card, put in the SIN BIN, be given the red card – and kicked off the pitch. Not hoicked around the borough in the hope that it will go unnoticed!
Things are getting a bit too hot to handle in Farnham’s Hale ward for ‘Your Waverley’s’ Leader.’ So she’s off to find a softer landing elsewhere in the borough.
And if you think she is alone – think again. Others are carpetbagging around the borough looking for greener grass too!
Here at the Waverley Web, we liked how dainty she looks, landing on tippy toes into the green green grass of her new ward of Tilford. Her newly adopted home where she can be guaranteed a safe seat so she can slip seamlessly back into her leader’s role at ‘Your Waverley’ in the May polls for four more years?
Has the Farnham Residents’ Group’s rising popularity put her in panic mode?
Word on the street suggests that Waverley’s Leader might be taking flight, or do we mean fright?
Despite succeeding where her predecessors have failed – in almost getting a LOCAL PLAN past the finish line, getting the Blightwells development under-way – and pushing up Waverley’s housing numbers – and the council tax – Leader Julia may be taking flight from her “safe” Tory seat in Farnham Upper Hale.
Waverley Borough Council’s Julia Potts, who is prone to a bit of umming and ahhing, is considering becoming a little more decisive in the lead-up to the May elections. She believes she may have difficulty hanging on to her seat as Farnham people are getting angry, very angry.
Some Farnham residents are even suggesting that it is time to break away from Waverley Borough Council altogether. But hasn’t Farnham already tried that with a petition to the Queen? Last we heard that petition was buried under a pile of dust and cobwebs, a bit like us here at the Waverley Web. Is it in a Government department vault, or has it gone to THE TOWER?
So could the public-spirited the former Pi**ed off Portfolio for Planning (POPP) be handing over his far safer seat at Frensham, Dockenfield & Tilford to his Tory colleague? Only time will tell – not long now folks.
