MADAM,

One small thing can spark a revolution. Since any mention of the playground is bound to raise the ire of a certain doyenne of the Letters Page, I’ll choose another example to illustrate how out-of-touch our town council is, and how little relevance they have for the people of the town.

Last summer the town council generously hosted a ‘Party in the Park’ to celebrate the Queen’s birthday. It was sparsely attended. Where were the hundreds of people who love our Queen and call Monmouth home? People might say this is a sign of the times we live in, and that community spirit is on the decline, if not dead.

If that were true, it would be a very sad diagnosis for Monmouth. But I don’t think it’s the case, and this is why I’ve raised my head above the parapet. In January, I called a ‘Play-in’ – at a week’s notice and with a budget of £0. People flocked to it; I’d go as far as to say we were more popular than the town council’s birthday party. Around 100 people turned up to play in the January sunshine, and the only thing they were promised was cake.

The point is that people don’t know what the town council does, or why. And if you are foolhardy enough to turn up to a council meeting, you may leave none-the-wiser as to how this democratic institution is going to serve you. No wonder voters have disengaged.

Indy Monmouth has an exciting event this week, and everyone is invited. On Friday at 7.30pm in Bridges we are hosting Peter MacFadyen, former Mayor of Frome, a town where the council has been proudly independent for nearly eight years. If you have any interest in reviving community spirit and turning the town council around, come to this meeting. It’s free, non-political, and best of all… there will be cake!

Rachel Jupp

(Monmouth)