Thornaby Democracy on Hold

[testing times]

Interesting story which has parallels to our own situation. I think more people voted for Thornaby to have its independence from Stockton than those who voted in favour of joining a combined authority. The interesting thing is that one gets kicked into touch while the other is forced on us regardless.

[Inspector Knacker]

Democracy now seems to based on the Pyonyang template, or even the Star Trek model, 'It's democracy Jim but not as we know it'.

[Inspector Knacker]

Local democracy? We have a thin veneer of what passes for local democracy that can disregard the wishes of the voters unless of course it just happens to coincide with the wishes of the suits.and politicians.
Trouble is that the suits make the rules so we have to go through the farce of their show of concern for the peples needs and wishes. There's the proposal, the hilarious 'consultation' process which is a blatant sales pitch to the gullible and chronically easily impressed, then the decision which usually defies logic and turns out what the suits wanted to begin with.
The politicians nod and tweeks to the pproposals of no consequence are made then quickly buried and we're all patronisingly told it's for the better and a life in bright sunlit uplands. And, it's all utter crap.
The trouble with a lot of politicians at local level, is that when they get elected,, especially the minions of the large parties, is they were elected usually in wards where if  a radiator was selected it would be elected.

[fred c]

Major decisions on the health & well being of people all over the country are now made by quango`s, groups of businessmen who have no public mandate, our lives are affected in so many ways by their decisions & we have absolutely "No Say" in those decision.

Hartlepool is led by a group pf people made up of a small number of self servers, who will do almost anything to retain their positions as councillors, including the use of public money to ensure that happens, they are all in favour of the Quango system as it allows them to inch ahead in the line at the trough of public largess.

[Land Phil]

The disgrace to me is how they get away with abusing party names and the people that fall for that scam.