A WELL-whipped council, deeply divided and brazenly riding roughshod over locally elected councillors and residents - that was the less-than-flattering picture of Waverley Borough Council painted during the East Street inquiry last week.

The inquiry, to determine Waverley's attempted compulsory purchase of The Marlborough Head, has provided a forum for councillors and residents to express their dissatisfaction at the borough council and the proposed redevelopment of Farnham town centre over the past fortnight.

And last Thursday, the level of dissent reached new heights when, in a furious response to council QC Timothy Mould's questioning over his voting record, John Ward, a former mayor of Farnham, accused Waverley's Tory leadership of making decisions prior to public meetings and forcing members to vote along party lines.

For full story, see this week's Farnham Herald.