Mr Walton proposed that councillors should undertake compulsory training, that the council’s standing orders be amended accordingly and records be kept at the council office.

I prepared for the meeting and, together with other councillors, robustly argued against these proposals. Mr Walton did not on this occasion put forward a convincing argument and received no verbal support from any other councillor. As a result, his proposals were defeated.

Councillors did not say “that they are not in need of training” but stated that they volunteered their services to the community and training should not be compulsory. I have attended training courses on the code of conduct and planning and I am not averse to training provided it is voluntary. Parish and town councillors are not paid expenses and I am well aware of the fine service volunteers give to our community.

Councillors come from all walks of life and have a variety of interests. Our experience of life is most certainly of benefit, as it is this experience that shapes our characters and makes us the people we are today. I faced some harsh realities many years ago and I understand how it feels to be disadvantaged. This has made me very determined and contributed to the independent person that I am today.

I care passionately about people and their needs and it is for this reason that I have, for example, represented the people of Great Cornard on the Sudbury Watch Committee, in order to campaign for maintaining health services in Sudbury.

It is a great privilege to serve the people of Great Cornard and one that I do not take lightly. I do not pretend to “know it all” but would certainly not regard myself as “ignorant”. I approach my service to the community with an endeavour to always do my very best for the people I serve.

Training courses do have their place as they inform and help to give confidence, but training is only part of the whole picture.

Surely it is helpful for a councillor to regularly attend and speak at meetings, have good communication and debating skills, be able to put forward a persuasive argument, do research, campaign and get involved with local issues, be politically and socially aware, maintain cordial relationships with other councillors of all parties, be a team player and be loyal to the council and party that he or she represents? Not many of these skills could be obtained from training.

Councillors at Great Cornard also have the code of conduct, council standing orders and good councillor guide available to them for reference, together with help and advice from the manager when needed.

The verdict of a councillor’s performance will be given at the ballot box at election time.

My fellow councillors at Great Cornard Council and I have a great deal to do before that time comes and we will continue to do our very best for the people we represent.

FRANCES JACKSON

Councillor

Great Cornard South