Beaconsfield's revelry seemed quite subdued (From Bucks Free Press)

Beaconsfield's revelry seemed quite subdued

10:29am Friday 29th June 2012 in Your Letters

Over the last couple of weeks I am sure many of you could not help but see the different ways towns and villages around the country celebrated the Queens Diamond Jubilee. For some reason Beaconsfield’s revelry seemed quite subdued.

I think it was a shame that there was no joined up thinking to empower local groups in Beaconsfield to come together to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee. Instead it would appear it was left to local residents and churches to organise street and garden parties and the only visible signs in the town of the Diamond Jubilee came from various shops in the old and new town that marked the occasion with jubilee inspired shop windows. We should applaud this. The official celebration organised by the Town Council was to mark the lighting of the beacon with a really good fireworks display at the Rugby Club; but how many in Beaconsfield were aware of the event? Unfortunately the publicity was woefully inadequate and as a result the turnout was rather poor which is disappointing.

Perhaps what was needed was the town to be enthused with a wave of support and some esprit de corps that brought the town together. Union flags should have been flying from buildings like in Chalfont st Peter and a banner across the street advertising the fireworks. Sadly I am not sure if the Town Council is capable of doing this.

In my opinion, the way the Town Council chose to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee lacked the imagination that was possibly required to bring the town together.

Party politics and personal issues seem to play more of a part in local governments these days and maybe its leadership may have forgotten the original reasons why community minded people stood for their local council. I, like others, have lost all confidence in the current administration. It is no wonder that there is general apathy at local council elections. Perhaps it is therefore time to take party politics completely out of local councils.

It serves no purpose other than to advance the egos of those wrapped up in their own self importance and this interferes with good governance.

Unfortunately local voters influenced by a sea of blue mist vote for the party rather than the person who would best serve the community. So would a Town Council completely made up by caring locals, not aligned to any political party, have fared better with the celebrations of the Queens Jubilee? History might suggest it would, as party politics is only a recent phenomenon. I think change is needed so we can have a Town Council that we are proud of with councillors who earn the respect of the community.

Simon Woolf, Beaconsfield