Dear Sir,
Cllr Ken Robson’s letter last week exemplifies what is wrong with his new ruling coalition at the Town Council.
THE FACTS OF THE SITUATION ARE:
• In 2019 Labour closed the reception door to members of the public during meetings.
• This caused problems; there are some ‘members of the public’ (e.g. invited speakers or authorised visitors) who must use the reception door.
• Cllr Barbara Clare and Cllr Bob Fleming therefore introduced an amendment giving officers and councillors (all councillors, mind, not just Labour), the discretion to guide such people through the reception door. Problem solved.
• Last month, in an act of revenge, Cllrs Chandran and Robson rescinded that amendment and restored the blanket ban.
• They ignored warnings that this would cause problems. Indeed, when LibDem Cllr Tony Armstrong tried to suggest that the Town Clerk might need discretion in certain cases, he was shouted down by his own side!
Now, when Cllr Barbara Clare points out the problems of a blanket ban, she is accused of ‘cronyism’ and we are informed out of the blue by Cllr Robson, in an open letter of an amendment to the blanket ban: “Any Council invited speaker or authorised visitor, would be guided by the Town Clerk or his staff” (i.e. fairly much what Cllr Clare’s amendment had said in the first place).
A DEVELOPING PATTERN – Anybody who has been watching this new ruling group will spot the pattern:
(1) The coalition makes an ill-considered proposal;
(2) Councillors who point out problems are ridiculed and shouted down, and the proposal forced through;
(3) When the proposal then flounders, it is peremptorily changed; not through proper Council process, but by announcement from Cllrs Chandran or Robson in the media, without Council considering it.
ARROGANCE OR INEXPERIENCE? It can be argued, of course, that this is just an enthusiastic and ambitious new council finding its feet. Time will tell if it is a culture of arrogance, intransigence and carelessness.
Name and Address Supplied Party.