Cllr Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera Resigns, Time for a clear-out at the town-hall? Options

[blackdog]

As long as the moans and complaints are limited to this forum I can't see much changing. Yet, whenever, I have been to an NTC committee meeting there has only been one person there trying to get the council to be more open. The same person at every meeting. Perhaps if there were half a dozen at each meeting, each asking an awkward question the council would begin to take notice. If there were twenty ...

[Simon Kirby]

As long as the moans and complaints are limited to this forum I can't see much changing. Yet, whenever, I have been to an NTC committee meeting there has only been one person there trying to get the council to be more open. The same person at every meeting. Perhaps if there were half a dozen at each meeting, each asking an awkward question the council would begin to take notice. If there were twenty ...

I agree, but for my part when I have asked difficult questions I have been insulted and humiliated and I'll be honest with you, I've found that experience traumatic. I do agree that the solution is for more people to take responsibility, but I've done my part.

[On the edge]

As long as the moans and complaints are limited to this forum I can't see much changing. Yet, whenever, I have been to an NTC committee meeting there has only been one person there trying to get the council to be more open. The same person at every meeting. Perhaps if there were half a dozen at each meeting, each asking an awkward question the council would begin to take notice. If there were twenty ...

Having also been on the 'wrong side' I know just how good that feels! Perhaps, someone might like to call a flash mob meeting - safety in numbers and all that, but the fact remains, they are well practiced in stoutly defending the status quo.

[Simon Kirby]

Having also been on the 'wrong side' I know just how good that feels! Perhaps, someone might like to cau;ui flash mob meeting - safety in numbers and all that, but the fact remains, they are well practiced in stoutly defending the status quo.

If those same old faces were defending the rights of the little man and holding themselves accountable then I wouldn't grumble, but what we have in Newbury is a self-serving establishment conspiracy which suppresses indepent thought and grass-roots initiative, and victimises those who complain. There will of course be differences of opinion but this isn't about not liking thr decisions of our democratic representatives, this is about our establishment class closing ranks to defend their self-interest.

It has to change.

The vast majority of those polled agree that the town council has fundamentally failed, but we have no clear strategy for fixing the problem. Personally I think we have to take responsibility for our politics and get involved. I'm not suggesting another political party, but I feel that we need an umbrella movement or brand to present this new politics. Actually what I think we need is more difference of opinion, not less, and the party whip of the establishment ConDems is in large part responsible for our present woes.

I suppose what I'm thinking about is more of a public service charter, so whatever the politics of the individual they promise to serve the community without fear or favor, to be open to new ideas and especially open to criticism, to be brutally honest about failure, and to involve the community. None of that is in any way radical, but it couldn't be further from reality in Newbury.

[NWNREADER]

The vast majority of those polled agree that the town council has fundamentally failed, but we have no clear strategy for fixing the problem.

The 'vast majority' of 18 people, some of whom may not be NTC voters, is not going to have the erstwhile Councillors running to the hills, and 'we' have no remit to have a strategy above and beyond how constituents might be persuaded to vote and who for.

RUPs chances of making any ripples from outside the Council Chamber are minimal, I maintain.

[Simon Kirby]

The 'vast majority' of 18 people, some of whom may not be NTC voters, is not going to have the erstwhile Councillors running to the hills, and 'we' have no remit to have a strategy above and beyond how constituents might be persuaded to vote and who for.

RUPs chances of making any ripples from outside the Council Chamber are minimal, I maintain.

If anything is going to change in Newbury politics it's not going to come from within the town council. There are some 15,000 Newbury parishioners, and something like 100,000 WBC electors. Change has to come from them. Maybe they're happy enough with the status quo, and I suspect most take no interest and have no time to care one way or another, but if something can be done to empower people to demand a higher level of service and accountability from their representatives then I would like to do my bit to make that happen, and I suspect that will take an organised approach that as yet does not exist.

[Cognosco]

The 'vast majority' of 18 people, some of whom may not be NTC voters, is not going to have the erstwhile Councillors running to the hills, and 'we' have no remit to have a strategy above and beyond how constituents might be persuaded to vote and who for.

RUPs chances of making any ripples from outside the Council Chamber are minimal, I maintain.

I tend to agree with you, but there again it was a foregone conclusion that whatever he did he would not be able to make a dent on the entrenched ways of our little private club of Councillors, I am just amazed he managed to break into the club in the first place. There again I think the grip on control of the club must have slipped slightly, or he gave the impression that he was a follow the rules type, for him to even be allowed into the hallowed hall of control of Newbury.
At the moment the Council will have to concentrate their energies trying to root out these other 18 vexatious rebels and show just what happens when not agreeing to the clubs thought processes.
But what to do now that he is back among the plebs so to speak? Will they make him a vexatious candidate? Will RUP be able to expose just what has gone on behind the closed doors of power? Will taxpayers unite behind him? Will questions be asked in the NWN?
Nah! Business as usual and the taxpayers turning a blind eye and not caring how much the council wastes and Newbury just a place on the map best avoided because of the traffic and parking chaos.......yes life goes on just as we know it!

[Exhausted]

I understand that the unclaimed £50k was presumably due from the insurance company for NTC but what was it actually for.

It could have been a one off payment for damage to the park but that does not seem to be much. I would have thought that the type of insurance that NTC would carry would have been worth more that that. I carry more insurance on my house.
It could have been as a payment towards their legal expenses in which case that might be the maximum that they were covered for.

However, by not taking up the option, it means that the NTC insurer will have washed their hands of the whole thing. If they had paid out for damage, you can bet that they would have been deeply involved in recovering their loss and might have helped the council with the claim. Unless of course the insurer was Standard Life.

Was the human error made by the person paid to look after these matters and was that the reason for his leaving the employment or was it an oversight by a town councillor or councillors. If it was the former, I hope that the leaving package was not too generous. If it was the latter, have they at least been censured for their failings. Unfortunately the buck should stop with the man at the top and I'm sure that his investigation would have clarified the position rather than sweeping it under the Town Hall carpet.

[Cognosco]

Buck stops at the top....go and wash your mouth out?

Well they have had four years to to think of an excuse in case they were ever found out, which happens to be rare I know.

You will certainly be on the vexatious list coming out with statements like this trying to hold the council responsible for errors of judgement......even though they happen on a regular basis.

[Ruwan Uduwerage-...]

RUPs chances of making any ripples from outside the Council Chamber are minimal, I maintain.

They would not be "minimal" if the precept payers of Newbury chose to demand answers.

Does the silence from the residents of Newbury over the potential mismanagement of tens of thousands of pounds of their money indicate that they are not interested, and that they actually wish things to go on as before?

I genuinely hope that this is not the case, and it is not the impression that anyone reading these threads would get, for within the safety of this Forum, many of the contributors are immensely robust in their belief that the Council should be more open and transparent.

I have done the hard bit, and exposed the concerns, it only now needs the public to demand answers of their elected representatives.

Yours

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
'Whistle blowing' Former Councillor at Newbury Town Council.

[gel]

Money no object?

I note NTC currently advertising for a CEO @ £50k
(& the usual Government benefits re generous pension etc).

Also @ £32k a "Responsible Financial Officer/ Admin Mgr";
was the last one NOT RESPONSIBLE
eg failure to institute a claim costing NTC £50k, as detailed here?

[Cognosco]

Why spend all this money on a now well and truly discredited pointless Authority?
Both our local Authorities are looking to make cuts to essential services why?
Get rid of the embarrassing lot of them and use the money wisely!

I agree with RUP I fail to understand why there is no public outcry regarding the loss of thousands of pounds of public money?

[On the edge]

Yes, it is surprising there hasn't been any outcry. I can only conclude that a coalition of sorts is in operation locally. LibDems providing a bit of sham opposition to Mental Health cuts on WBC, which of course materially affects so few of us, whilst Conservatives remain mute about NTC. Individually, we can contact our councillors; but then what? Some of us have in the past about various things to no avail. One by one, individuals are easy to pick off; even if they stand as independents. I don't like the idea of not exercising a vote and the only way I can see of registering that is to actually attend and spoil the paper. Write what you like in it, but turn up. Yes, attempts will be made to brush it under the carpet, but there is a good chance it would be picked up. Particularly given the media interest in election stats. of any description. The other alternative, which may well be viable but woukd need some help are the Apoliticals; coukd they provide the answer here?

[Simon Kirby]

The other alternative, which may well be viable but woukd need some help are the Apoliticals; coukd they provide the answer here?

Yes, I think they are an alternative, and independents of all sorts for that matter. I'd like to stand for election myself, but I just don't see people wanting to vote for me. I think people are turned off protest candidates. It's not that I don't have some constructive ideas, but I just can't get past the idea that on the whole people just aren't interested in what happens at their councils and whatever happens they're going to vote for the rosette with which they most associate.

[x2lls]

Yes, I think they are an alternative, and independents of all sorts for that matter. I'd like to stand for election myself, but I just don't see people wanting to vote for me. I think people are turned off protest candidates. It's not that I don't have some constructive ideas, but I just can't get past the idea that on the whole people just aren't interested in what happens at their councils and whatever happens they're going to vote for the rosette with which they most associate.

I don't think is a lack of interest, rather a lack of knowledge of how to become involved in an 'outcry'.

[On the edge]

The technical process of standing free of party lable, is pretty straightforward and it is something that the WBC officers are pretty good at helping to explain and encourage. Nonetheless, it does mean a fair amount of effort, even if you decide against leafleting! So then, if you manage to get elected, then what? That's the real issue, sure you'll get an invite to some generalistic council meetings, have a chance to talk to anything on the agenda, but that's it.....

So, protest or or otherwise and yes, it's not all protest, how do you get your idea or your protest fed in? Write to your Councillor? We all know how well that works! Join one of the local parties? Well, done that, been there, useful if you want training as a postman, but that's all they'll let you do, there's nothing else.

Is the answer ward level forums of some sort? The residents type meetings did get a fair bit of support, where they were properly moderated, kept dross to a minimum and were not too frequent. Can they be resurrected?

[Ruwan Uduwerage-...]

Write to your Councillor

Write to the paper!

If your councillor is unwilling to ask difficult questions then perhaps the questions need to be asked through the media.

Yours

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
'Whistle blowing' Former Councillor at Newbury Town Council.

[Cognosco]

Write to the paper!

If your councillor is unwilling to ask difficult questions then perhaps the questions need to be asked through the media.

Yours

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
'Whistle blowing' Former Councillor at Newbury Town Council.

Yes but what paper would be willing to ask difficult questions of NTC??

[Nothing Much]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Canard_encha%C3%AEn%C3%A9
(to name but 1)

There are other magazines available.
Perhaps a return to years gone by, and pamphleteers,
Hogarth, Rowlandson..were artists of great satire.

I did like Uderzo's out of retirement cartoon of Asterix .
ce

[Nothing Much]

It can't be hard to make fools of your councillers.
Vicky Park did it well on you tube.