The trouble with politicians...

Often I have heard people say something like "the trouble with politicians is that you argue over everything, why can't you just agree...?!?".  

Without doubt, one of the biggest problems in local government is the existence of tribal party politics. Extreme positions are taken, innovation is strangled, councillors with their own independent ideas are whipped into towing the party group's policy and so forth. As an independent, I stand against all that. True, it has taken me a few years to come back to this position. But I now fundamentally believe that because we need much more diversity (of thought and background) in local politics, we need more independent councillors. We need more councillors who are unshackled by dogma or inflexible party allegiances.

I say 'back to this position' because when I was sixteen and took my Spoken English O'level, I spent 20 minutes explaining to my examiner why we shouldn't have party politics in local government. I got an 'A'. Moreover, I have watched how the Town Council functions over many years and meetings. I have found that we work best when we all pitch in, listen to each other and come up with broadly consensual decisions. 

Professionally, I coach and train leaders to operate in a more consensual and collaborative way. I facilitate teams towards better decision making by helping them to see each other's perspectives and values. By nature, I enjoy meetings most when there is agreement, creativity and an openness to trying new strategies...  

If elected as an independent councillor, my only allegiance will be to the people of Buckingham and our surrounding villages. I won't be 'whipped' by a party manager into voting for something that I don't agree with. My job will be to listen to you closely and as your representative, do whatever I think is in the best interests of local people and local communities.

I have done this on the Town Council and I am now ready to do this on Buckinghamshire Council.