LETTER: All 44 councillors must sign charter

I think the County Times’ idea of a Free Speech Charter is a marvellous one. I do hope you will go ahead with it and, what’s more, that all 44 Horsham district councillors (yes, that includes leader Ray Dawe, his deputy Helena Croft, the current chairman Philip Circus and all the members of the HDC Cabinet) sign up to it as soon as possible.

Sadly I know that’s probably a vain hope. No doubt they will prefer to hang on to the undemocratic methods now employed, whereby decisions are made behind closed doors by a small clique of ‘the usual suspects’ and then the rest of the majority party are told they must vote for the predetermined decision, whether they agree with it or not.

People in power rarely want to relinquish any of it and, let’s face it, Ray Dawe is no Nelson Mandela.

However, I live in hope and maybe, just maybe, this charter could pave the way for a return to open, free and fair decision-making in the district council.

Local residents deserve to have confidence in their councillors and we expect them to live up to the high standards set by their own code of conduct.

I wish your efforts to this end every success.

SHEILA WHITE

Dorking Road, Warnham