All falling apart at the Town Council Options

[Exhausted]

Looks like the resignation of the deputy leader and then his resignation from the council, the resignation of the Chief Executive, the finance officer and his deputy has been brought into the spotlight by Adrian Edwards at a public meeting.

Julian Swift-Hook was suitably miffed because it was due to be heard in a closed meeting.

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2015/newbury...-public-meeting

[Don]

Howdy all,

This doesn't surprise me. I get the impression that such councils (all councils) are not properly regulated and this is why you get so many problems. I suppose the bigger question is what could or will be done to keep everything in check?

Don

[Cognosco]

Looks like the resignation of the deputy leader and then his resignation from the council, the resignation of the Chief Executive, the finance officer and his deputy has been brought into the spotlight by Adrian Edwards at a public meeting.

Julian Swift-Hook was suitably miffed because it was due to be heard in a closed meeting.

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2015/newbury...-public-meeting

There would appear to be major problems with the Town Council and the way it has been run these last few years? As usual everything is hushed up and pushed behind closed doors so that the precept payer does not get to know just what is going on.
There is supposed to be an ongoing investigation over certain matters but that has all gone hush hush and I don't for one minute think any answers will forthcoming until after the local elections, if then?

I feel sure that local people are fully aware that the Town Council is no longer fit for purpose and that any inquiries are rather pointless to say the least? The only point I can see of any inquiry is to say who has been responsible for all the mismanagement over the last few years and to elucidate just how much precept money has been wasted.

[Biker1]

What's all this about then?
 scan1.pdf ( 310.59K ) Number of downloads: 34

[Exhausted]

What's all this about then?  scan1.pdf ( 310.59K ) Number of downloads: 34

I guess this is seen by the councillors as an opportunity to show how important they are and will enable them to appear in their generous and supportive role in the local paper. Perhaps I am being a little cynical and I'm sure the candidates deserve whatever award they get so OK by me.

I wonder if anyone can be bothered to ask embarrassing questions and if that will be allowed. I can't speak for Councillor Edwards but I suspect that his asking that question at a public meeting, much to the irritation of Mr Swift-Hook, was because he was fed up with things being swept under the carpet and wanted it out in the open. I guess with all the posturing and denial by the council leader, it didn't quite get an answer but at least he tried.

[Lolly]

I wonder if anyone can be bothered to ask embarrassing questions and if that will be allowed. I can't speak for Councillor Edwards but I suspect that his asking that question at a public meeting, much to the irritation of Mr Swift-Hook, was because he was fed up with things being swept under the carpet and wanted it out in the open. I guess with all the posturing and denial by the council leader, it didn't quite get an answer but at least he tried.

Being entirely cynical I doubt that anybody likely to ask an embarrassing question will get a look in, unless it's a Conservative party faithful trying to embarrass the Libdems who have the majority in NTC. I also have a feeling that Councillor Edwards' remarks might have been driven by the same agenda, rather than any particular desire for transparency. Party politics at play?

[Exhausted]

I also have a feeling that Councillor Edwards' remarks might have been driven by the same agenda, rather than any particular desire for transparency. Party politics at play?

Yes, I suspect you have hit the nail on the head. Maybe we will see a Conservative Town Council next time. I guess they will want to dress up as well though.

[Simon Kirby]

Yes, I suspect you have hit the nail on the head. Maybe we will see a Conservative Town Council next time. I guess they will want to dress up as well though.

Decisions of a parish council are taken collectively. Politicised councils may well have councillors voting along party lines, but the constitution of a parish council doesn't acknowledge any such political distinction and there is no government and opposition, there are only councillors, each with the self-same power and authority as the other, and most especially they all have the power to examine council documents. Council officers have no authority except that which the council collectively delegate to them, and even then the council can choose to decide delegated matters themselves and examine all the evidence and information that the council has on the matter.

So if Cllr Edwards was unhappy with the administration of the council - and he should be, because for the last ten years he's seen it descend steadily from the common-all-garden snidy and officious all the way to its present Kafkaesque pantomime - so if he was at all unhappy with that decline he's had more than enough opportunity to use the appropriate channels and table a motion to debate the sorry state of affairs.