THE current flavour of the month is for people in Britain to work together within their communities for the common good and to begin to heal their differences. I notice from the Dorset Echo ( Shadow cabinet – 19 February 2020 ) that the Lib Dems have formed a Shadow Cabinet to front the views of their 29 councillors. I have to ask if they are able to extend to their Green Party, Labour and Independent colleagues and even certain Conservative councillors who they find common ground with? Perhaps Cllr Nick Ireland can respond?

What is democratically unacceptable is for the Tories to be able to monopolise executive power within the council’s committees structure. One party rule is the bane of our politics at both a national and local level. Personally, I would like to see a proportional voting system for all elections, but realise that can’t happen without cross party co-operation.

It was good to see 50 activists (not extremists!) demonstrate against the causes of climate change in Dorchester last Friday (no-one can possibly deny it given severe flooding in Dorset and Britain-wide in the last month!)

The People’s Assembly at the Dorford Centre, Dorchester on Monday was excellent with upwards of a 100 individual citizens working together to respond to Dorset Council’s request for ideas on sustainable local government. Ideas for sustainable energy schemes on Dorset’s river systems and more efficient ‘people friendly’ public transport came out of the discussions. Most importantly it was the reality of democracy involving citizen participation that marked the event as worthwhile. May our elected councillors listen and may their be many more People’s Assemblies. Participation and feeling directly involved is the key to enlivening our politics.

Richard Denton-White

Mill Lane

Charminster