I REFER to Cllr Smith's letter in BFP (February 1) and want to clarify and refute a few of his comments.

Yes, the Beaconsfield Independent Electors' Association has registered as a political party.

However, let me explain the background. Recent changes to electoral law means that the association must be registered before they are allowed to display their logo on public documents and ballot papers, and in order to register you must be a party. This allows them the same privileges as others; but nothing else has changed.

Members of the association are still fiercely independent and will continue to seek to keep major party politics out of local government. This means that independent councillors vote on issues independently of each other and discuss issues openly and fairly in the council chamber unlike major parties that follow the party line, discuss issues privately and vote unanimously.

"Independents" believe in a democracy which has open and honest government. They are individuals who each represent their own views and their electorate. They are not guided by other influences or masters.

There is not a formal, or otherwise, alliance between Beaconsfield Independent Electors' Association and the Lib Dems.

Do not be hoodwinked when Conservatives make statements like "local community before party politics." In making this statement, they want us to believe that is what they normally do. However we all know that this isn't the case. They are past masters at the politically expedient statement, which can easily be reversed. They have even dismissed a valuable and long-standing member of their party from the council planning committee, who was doing an excellent job, without reason, to suit their own ends.

I suspect this was to give an aspiring parliamentary candidate extra local government experience.

At town and district level the Conservatives have a very high majority. This is an unhealthy situation because only Conservative policies are motioned and other views and ideas will not be heard.

Don't let one party have a strong hold on the council. Beaconsfield residents deserve fair and balanced discussions on all issues.

Nobody can tell people how to vote, but whatever you do you must vote so that the result is a true representation of the electorate.

Ken Brown

Chairman of Beaconsfield

Independent Electors'

Association

Longview

Holtspur

February 14, 2002 13:38