AFTER the St Ives East Town Council by-election on July 19 the last thing St Ives needs is another Conservative district councillor with a seat on St Ives Town Council.

We already have two.

One of them announced after the May 3 election that he would not join any of the council’s committees in which the work of the Council is mainly done, and has not been seen at any meeting of the council since.

Experience shows that Conservative district councillors do not speak out about numerous issues because there is a line set by their party-political masters in Huntingdon on each issue involving Huntingdonshire District Council. For example they have not been able to speak out on the closure of the public toilets, the closure of the HDC St Ives customer service office or the massive increase in car park charges. Nor did they appear to offer any advance notice to St Ives Town Council of any such plans.

But it is in the council itself that their “presence” or rather absence is noticeably felt. District council meetings will always take precedence over town council meetings, and there are therefore apologies to the town council. Then for town council agenda items involving Huntingdonshire District Council they “declare an interest” and leave, unable to discuss or vote on the matter at issue. Effectively St Ives Town Council becomes a 15-member rather than a 17-member council.

The political parties will always put party interest before those of the electorate, so it is up to the voters to use their votes accordingly to stop this practice.

Marilyn Zanconato

Parkside

St Ives