Nominations for Central Bedfordshire Council and Parish Council elections were published last week. I strongly believe that candidates should be 100% committed to representing the people who elect them, and they should not put themselves in a position where they might face a conflict of priorities – for example, by being elected to both Leighton Linslade Town Council and Dunstable Town Council.
I was therefore surprised to see one of the candidates for LLTC Brooklands Ward and CBC LB South is also standing as a candidate for Dunstable Town Council Icknield Ward.
Leighton Buzzard Brooklands Ward
Dunstable Icknield Ward
There is no suggestion that it is improper to do this – the Returning Officer has confirmed that it is technically ok to do this. However, I am just not sure how one person, if they were elected to represent a ward in both Leighton Buzzard and Dunstable at the same time, could properly represent both electorates.
For one thing, both Councils meet on Monday evenings … and I know I can’t be in two places at the same time and I doubt anyone else can.
My name is Amanda Dodwell, and I have been a Conservative Councillor for Brooklands Ward (Leighton Linslade Town Council) and Leighton Buzzard South (Central Bedfordshire Council) since 2011.
Previously, I was a Councillor in Wantage, Oxfordshire, on Wantage Town Council and The Vale of White Horse District Council.
Originally from Buckinghamshire, I attended Waddesdon C of E Secondary School and Aylesbury High School, and studied Economics at Leeds Trinity University. I have lived in Leighton Buzzard for over 13 years, with my husband Adam and son Jack.
I had the privilege to be Mayor of Leighton Linslade in 2013/14, and Leader of the Town Council in 2015/16.
Since 2012 I have been Deputy Executive Member for Children, Families and Education at Central Bedfordshire Council, with a particular interest in looked after children (LAC). I am a member of the Fostering and Adoption Panels, and since July 2018 I have been Chair of the Corporate Parenting Panel, overseeing services for children in care.
As the parent of a child with additional needs (Jack was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 3), I am passionate about services for children and young people, and those with additional needs and mental health problems.
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3 thoughts on “A candidate for Leighton Buzzard AND Dunstable? What’s going on?”
Maybe he would attend more frequently than your colleague Councillor Walker, who has represented Linslade for some years without attending meetings, from his base,it seems, near Southampton?
Perhaps if that was the concern, this candidate would have been better standing in Cllr Walker’s former ward in Linslade as there is not an attendance problem in either Brooklands Ward or LB South.
Amanda Dodwell 
Maybe he would attend more frequently than your colleague Councillor Walker, who has represented Linslade for some years without attending meetings, from his base,it seems, near Southampton?
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Perhaps if that was the concern, this candidate would have been better standing in Cllr Walker’s former ward in Linslade as there is not an attendance problem in either Brooklands Ward or LB South.
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