At last night's virtual Full Council meeting I spoke on the Democratically Elected Mayor for Croydon (DEMOC) motion.
The Town owes a huge debt of gratitude to the residents and the residents’ associations from around Croydon for the massive role they’ve played in collecting signatures for the DEMOC petition. A petition that our non listening Labour administration did their utmost to thwart, especially with their harsh ruling that electronic signatures would not be accepted.
The momentum for a Democratically Elected Mayor is growing as residents recognise the failings of Croydon Labour. But this is not about politics, it’s about fairness. I want to see a system where a vote in Coulsdon counts the same as a vote in Norbury, where a vote in Waddon counts the same as a vote in Shirley and all the wards in between.
The current system is not just about a political Party failing Croydon it’s about a system of electing Croydon’s leader. A fundamental shake up is required
I want to see Croydon’s governance move away from a leader chosen by a cabal of Labour councillors to a system where the residents of Croydon elect their leader. A Leader for the whole of Croydon. A leader who will respect our residents whether they live in a strong Conservative ward, a strong Labour ward or one of a handful of marginal wards. Croydon is crying out for a Leader who will represent the whole of our town and not just his or her narrow Party political interests.
We need an elected Mayor who will sell our town to the rest of London, to the rest of the United Kingdom and beyond. We need a Leader who will get the best for Croydon from central government.
I believe an elected Mayor for Croydon is the best way to achieve this.
