THE Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane has said she is “worried” that democracy is “not working well” in Basingstoke.

Cllr Onnalee Cubitt delivered a stark message to councillors during a council meeting held last week.

The news comes following the invasion of Ukraine, which she said makes this message ‘especially important'.

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She said: “I worry that democracy here in Basingstoke is not working as well as it should. I worry about abuse of power.

“I continually remind myself that we are here as servants of the people and that both councillors and officers alike are here to be public servants.

“We are here to serve the residents' interests, I worry about the transparency of the working of the council, especially with the ever-increasing use of technology and the increasing use of consultations with very low response rates as if they are more democratic than a democrat.”

The Mayor went on to talk about the election count at Hampshire Court Hotel in 2016.

She added: “I witnessed with my own eyes that we had a problem with one of the tables, which is one of the reasons why we were one of the last boroughs in the county and the country to declare our results.”

She said “we take for granted” that all councillors can undertake their duties without fear or favour.

Cllr Cubitt, who represents Basing and Upton Grey ward, was made mayor on in May last year at the annual council meeting.

She previously served two years as deputy mayor, following Cllr Diane Taylor’s mayoral term being extended.

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Cllr Cubitt: “We, all of us, must never be complacent and believe that our declaration of the democratic system is safe.

“One of the many rules as mayor is to chair meetings so that its business can be carried out fairly and efficiently and with regards to the right of all councillors and the interests of all our community.

“This meeting is held to enable councillors to hold the cabinet to account, with power comes responsibility."

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