Mayor of Penzance Stephen Reynolds’ letter to the editor champions local councils
The Mayor of Penzance, Stephen Reynolds, has had a letter published in the Financial Times newspaper, championing local councils as “citizen assemblies”, and calling for ‘anyone serious about safeguarding democracy’ to stand for election this May.
The mayor’s letter was written in response to an opinion piece in the newspaper by Martin Wolf (“We must fund oppositions properly to save democracy”, February 17), and can be read in full here or below:
Martin Wolf (“We must fund oppositions properly to save democracy”, Opinion, February 17) is spot on with his diagnosis, but his suggested remedy directs funding to the wrong destination.
If we are really serious about nurturing “able people” rather than populist entertainers in our democratic institutions, we should not bolster the status quo by funding established opposition parties. Rather, we should be investing in grassroots local democracy.
Wolf advocates for “citizen assemblies”. I have news for him: here in the far south-west of Cornwall, we already have one, democratically elected and properly constituted. Penzance Council, like many town and parish councils across England, may be at the lowest tier of government. But we manage a sizeable budget, provide a range of local services, and give a voice to our local community on issues that matter to them.
We are unpaid, elected from the ranks of local citizens (there are strict residency qualifications), and bound by standards and codes of conduct far stricter than our counterparts at Westminster. All our 20 seats were contested in May 2021, and we fully expect them all to be contested in this May’s election. Drawn from all parties and none, we rarely if ever stray into partisanship: community is more important than party.
It’s arguably the purest form of democracy, and yet it comes at a price. For example, a contested by-election to fill a casual vacancy comes with a hefty bill of around £10,000 — all of it met out of the pockets of our residents.
Councils like ours are the perfect incubator for serious politicians. Local councillors learn quickly how to manage budgets, safeguard public funds, listen to the electorate, and develop real-life policies that work on the ground.
So, to rebuild democracy, start from the bottom up. Allocate more resources and powers to local councils, and they will deliver results — along with a pipeline of the able, hardworking citizens we need if we are to restore trust in democracy at the national level.
And to anyone serious about safeguarding democracy: stand for election this May for one of England’s councils, and become part of the solution.
Councillor Stephen Reynolds
Penzance Town Mayor
Penzance Council
Cornwall, UK
