Local Elections

This may seem a little odd and probably nobody is now interested.

Just to put the record straight.

I wrote to the very good and still improving Haringey Community Press about the recent local elections.

For some reason someone else's letter was published under my name.  There is no reason why I should take credit for their letter or they be credited to one they may not agree with.

So this is the actual letter l wrote:  I have removed my address and point out that the turnout figures were taken from the L.B. Haringey Website.

I repeat the HCP is an excellent and much needed addition to the area which has lacked a truly local, authorative, newspaper since the demise of the Tottenham Weekly Herald & The Hornsey Journal. This is not a criticism.

There are several good reasons not to publish it, space for one. This I have no objection to at all.  It is actually a matter of attribution.

The Editor

Haringey Community Press.

Dear Sir,

The recent Local Elections have surely proved yet again the need for the reform of our Electoral System.

There is a vibrant and successful campaign to reform the System for the House of Commons in the form of Make Votes Matter but none as yet for Local Authorities.

Surely the low turnout is an indication of how irrelevant Local Elections have become.

In my part of Tottenham it averaged around 25% with the exception of the St. Annes Ward which got to 30% hopefully a reaction to what many would regard as Sharp Practice in the Ward.  An example of several in the Borough.

Congratulations are due to the two Green Candidates who came closer than any to taking the seats from the candidates imposed upon the Ward.

 Is it not about time that the Proportional Representation used in the GLA and elsewhere was extended to Local Authorities?

 There is much complaining about National Governments being an Elected Dictatorship, often on a minority vote but much less about similar situations in Local Government.

Ironically it is often members and supporters of such Councils doing the complaining.

 Councils have a much more immediate effect on people’s lives but are often able to proceed as they please with very little opposition. 

A Law entirely unto themselves, as has been seen locally, riding roughshod over the wishes of Local People.

 It really is time we got back to the concept of Democracy.

 Yours faithfully

Keith Hubbard

N15  5QP

Thank you.