MADAM,

Monmouth Town Council elections are a mere two months away. To those of us who have witnessed a stagnating town council first-hand, this is very exciting news because we know that there is an alternative. This is the moment when local decision-making could become meaningful and relevant again. We’re making the bold assumption that in a town of over 10,000 people, there will be others who feel the same way: it’s time for a change. Some may secretly harbour a desire to stand, others might be quietly wondering who their local candidates will be.

We would like to invite people to drop the cherished notion that party politics are useful at this local level: whatever way you vote in a general election, what really matters for the town is that our council functions properly, and our councillors work together to achieve something bigger than themselves. This is the idea behind our initiative, Indy Monmouth. We are aiming for sixteen candidates who embrace the idea that strength lies in diversity and that what marks out a successful town council is the ability of councillors to collaborate with each other. Teamwork, in other words!

We are meeting this Thursday 9th March (7.30pm at the Robin Hood) and every Thursday thereafter until the elections. Do come and join us to talk about how we can bring new life to Monmouth Town Council. You can also contact us at [email protected]

Rachel Jupp

Kelly Jackson-Graham

(Monmouth)