PRESS RELEASE: Thank you Cllr Caroline Reeves for 18 months of strong, compassionate leadership and dedication.

After the 2019 Local Elections Guildford Borough Council was in new territory. The electorate returned a council with a delicate power balance, with
the Liberal Democrats and R4GV being the two largest parties. A stark change from the previously Conservative run administration. This sent a message to the council, that people wanted a different, more collaborative style of politics at GBC.

A MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) has been agreed and signed with R4GV, this confirms an agreement in principle, which was made public back in May of this year on several news outlets and forums.

The agreement was struck after a year of the groups working together. It includes the creation and continuation of a balanced executive and the rotation of the leadership. This was behind the resignation of Cllr Reeves earlier this month. The agreement also states that Council Leadership will be returned to the Lib Dems in October of 2022.

This situation, where a coalition has been made to run a council and form a balanced executive is not unique to Guildford. This has also taken place at Mendip District Council in the South West and in our neighbouring borough of Waverley. This is to answer the public's call for a more inclusive style of local government, based on the election results where the Liberal Democrats secured 17 seats and R4GV 15.

As previously stated, this may seem a puzzling time for the leadership of the council to be rotated, but it is being done in accordance with the agreement between the two parties. The existence of this agreement has been common knowledge for some time.

Guildford Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrat Council Group would like to thank Cllr Caroline Reeves for her outstanding service to the people and borough of Guildford. Particularly her constant dedication to her work and leading us through the COVID 19 Pandemic so far. We are proud of all we have achieved over the past 18 months and we are still committed to delivering on our Manifesto promises in the coming years.

GBC Liberal Democrat Group Chair, George Potter, said:

"All of us in the Lib Dem group want to offer our deepest thanks and gratitude to

Caroline for the outstanding service she has given to the people and the borough of Guildford. Not just for the service she has given in the past 18 months, leading a new administration, setting a new direction, and steering us capably through the Covid-19 crisis, but also for her tireless service over the past 15 years, first as a ward councillor and then as Lib Dem group leader since 2014"

"I cannot think of any councillor who works as tirelessly for their residents or the borough as Caroline has and we have been incredibly lucky to have her as council Leader when Guildford needed her experience, compassion and relentless work ethic the most. We are proud to call her our colleague and we are proud that she will be continuing as our group leader and as council Deputy Leader as we continue our coalition administration"

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