Happy 2nd Anniversary

[steveL]

In a normal world then yes council officers do have the responsibility of pointing out any legal pitfalls councillors are about to fall into but is Mad Dog James the type to listen?

Take for example the 7,000 signature petition over parking charges at Seaton. The phrase that is being increasingly used of late is 'we've taken that into account' when, as in that case, they clearly haven't. Marj appears to have taken the view that she has 7,001 votes when faced with a 7,000 strong petition and that's pretty much the way it is with Marj.

Remember the 'numerous' residents in Arncliffe Gardens complaining about cars parking in the street which tuned out to be just two residents - presumably herself and her husband. Ignore the opinions of 7,000 but get excited at the opinions of two? It's all based on her own very personal view with Marj. She's really not interested in the views of anyone else.

How, for example, can you claim that extending free parking to 3 pm in Middleton Grange will boost business while, at the same time, the introduction of new parking charges at Seaton would have only a 'minimal' effect on business. The two statements are contradictory.

She reminds me a bit of Mrs Slocombe of Are You Being Served fame. How long will it be before she gives us the benefit of her view on some matter before finishing it off with 'and I am unanimous on that'

As for council officers, I think they have pretty much given up the ghost and have been voting with their feet for some time.

[fred c]

As for council officers, I think they have pretty much given up the ghost and have been voting with their feet for some time.

Are there even more departures in the pipeline...........

[Inspector Knacker]

The whole system is dependent on the standard of Councillor. In effect, a multi million pound organisation can be run by those with little or no educational or business skills.
Would any other business with a multi million budget and workforce of thousands pull a random set of new directors in off the street every couple of years and let them loose on the company?

[steveL]

The whole system is dependent on the standard of Councillor. In effect, a multi million pound organisation can be run by those with little or no educational or business skills.
Would any other business with a multi million budget and workforce of thousands pull a random set of new directors in off the street every couple of years and let them loose on the company?

That's true to some extent, but it's also accepted that there are risks in the fact that anyone could and should be allowed to be a councillor if enough people support and vote for them. That's why there are checks and balances in place to maintain an acceptable standard of behaviour and why there is an Administration, kept separate from the politicians, which is there to keep the ship on an even keel even when the politicians call for a change of direction.

Of course, it all goes tits up when the politicians begin to interfere and dilute the checks and balances and when the administration climbs into bed with the politicians . . . and there is no better example of both being allowed to happen than HBC.   

[Inspector Knacker]

Most councillors in general do their best, but in theory if you had councillors with a lust for power and invertebrate, unquestioning foot soldiers following in line, you could have a problem.

[akarjl]

The description you are looking for is Kipper....two faced and spineless ...to be applied to anyone on the clowncil who stands by and watches cwissie, lying ste and the orangutang raping the town and fails to challenge them.  They know who they are...our efforts should be spent promoting this forum to increase the general awareness of these morons and gathering information snippet by snippet until one of them drops a major bollux resulting in them joining the wilcox residential club....