A COMMUNITY forum which started life on social media is looking to reform politics in the town, but says it would not adhere to ‘existing protocol’.

Open Winsford – which has a Facebook page which hosts the 6,700 member-strong ‘Winsford Community Forum’ discussion group – created a draft document about putting forward representatives for the town’s wards in Cheshire West and Chester Council elections.

In the note, seen by the Guardian, a group administrator says candidates will be selected by – and accountable to – members of Open Winsford, and compete in local ballots.

But elected members would then refuse to be known as councillors, and waive existing protocol ‘where it is deemed hierarchical or inappropriate’.

Instead they would be known as Open Winsford community representatives and would reject ‘councillor pay, expenses and perks’.

Through an online ballot platform, members of the forum would then have their say and speak through the elected representatives.

A public Open Winsford Facebook post on March 7 – preceding the note – said: “Open Winsford aims to provide platforms where our community can meet, debate and find best ways.

“For local policy makers to truly understand what’s best for us they need only ask, we just need to develop the voice to answer as one.

“We want to create an Open Winsford website with online balloting ‘Mi Voice’ integrated for members to vote on community-generated ideas, it will do much else aside but we need help, if anyone is up for helping us build the platform we’d be very grateful.

“Through online balloting the hope is that we can eventually end up with representable community-determined approaches rather than having things done to us according to decisions by a few who believe they have the ability to speak for everyone.

“The principle is simple but would turn local politics on its head, councillors would become true community representatives, there’s no excuse if we can be coherent about our wishes.”

The Guardian tried to contact the forum administrator for a comment.