THE General Purposes Committee of LCC (and I am a member of the committee), or rather the controlling Labour members on it, have decided to throw democracy out of the door and voted to allow an election for a town council for Guiseley even though the recommendation before it from the Elections Working Group was to reject the proposal or to ask that new proposals for a smaller area, backed by a new petition, be brought forward.

It was evident from the objections that had been sent to the council that many residents in Hawksworth and Menston polling districts do not regard themselves as “Guiseley” and any new petition should more properly be for the Township of Guiseley excluding these two polling districts. That is quite a different proposition from the one raised by the last petition and there was a majority against a town council in the responses to the council consultation which followed.

But no, the controlling Labour Group had decided that they would ignore that and plough ahead without a new petition, and they did so, with all seven of them voting in favour of allowing elections to be held “at the earliest opportunity”, all the opposition parties voted against. As to when this will all happen, evidently the May election date will be too soon so a later date will be chosen.

I do not believe we should let it rest at that and would encourage anyone who agrees with me to write or email the council chief executive Tom Riordan, telling him just how you feel.

Coun Graham Latty

Conservative Chief Whip