Letter published on the Wimbledon Guardian website, 21 March 2015

I had a very depressing conversation with a Conservative councillor at the weekend.

It was my own fault really. I’d challenged him as to why, not two months after the local elections, Conservative councillors had failed to support a proposal in a council meeting to restore street cleaning after bin collection – a key part of their own election manifesto. They hadn’t supported it, even to allow a debate, because it had been proposed by the borough’s Lib Dem councillor, Councillor Jeanes.

The Conservative councillor told me that they hadn’t supported it because they didn’t want to “validate” her. He added “our job isn’t to back Coun Jeanes”.

No, your job isn’t to ‘back’ Coun Jeanes or anyone else; your job as a councillor is to do right by your constituents, and to stand for your own manifesto.

Another of Coun Jeanes’ proposals met a similar fate recently. She argued that the monies devolved to Merton from the Independent Living Fund, funding for those with the highest support needs, should be ring-fenced and publicly protected. I’m fairly sure that at least some of Merton’s 59 other councillors – Labour, Conservative and Residents Association – think this is a good idea, but they couldn’t bring themselves to back the idea because Coun Jeanes spoke up for it, and she didn’t belong to their ‘political tribe’.

Merton’s politicians do this because they can get away with it. It looks to me like politics is more important to them than the people’s lives and the taxpayers’ money they’re playing with.

Perhaps I just have an old fashioned view, or am too naive, but I actually think a good idea’s a good idea no matter who proposes it. Like many people I have a political affiliation, but I think we get the best solutions when people work together. There’s certainly no monopoly on common sense.

Anthony Fairclough
SW19 3PZ