Sir, I am writing just to make my former electorate aware that I’ve now formally stood down from my role of Independent Councillor for North Witney, on West Oxfordshire District Council, due to new circumstances beyond my control.

As some may be aware, WODC have only two committees that meet in the evening – while all other committees meet in the middle of the working day. As I am not a member of a “political group”, I had no final say on what committee I wished to serve on each year, and unfortunately on this particular council year, due to my existing day job and family responsibilities, I was unable to retain the seats on the committees I’d served on over the previous three years.

I’d like to thank the wonderful people who voted for me back in 2012, and to express how fulfilling and humbling it’s been to serve North Witney. Secondly, I’d just like to encourage (as newly-elected councillor Andy Graham made reference to in the Witney Gazette recently) all the present serving councillors to fervently push for a change to the current scheduling of committee times, so it’s more viable for ordinary working men and women to stand for council – to then improve the true representation of working families, and to ultimately allow them the privilege of serving our community, as I have over the years.

David Snow
Bakers Piece
Witney