Call for more powers to local councils., As if we didn't have enough to worry about! Options

[On the edge]

I'm with Simon K on this. The party constitution is surely the 'boiler plate' conditions that are supposed to tell the voter what their candidates will do. If they don't, and they patently haven't, then it's actually mis selling. Exactly what power companies and banks have been fined millions for doing. So it isn't the elector at fault here, it's the party leaders who haven't acted to stop the abuse.

[Andy Capp]

The 'shareholders' keep voting for the same non-execs though, which is where the party system fails democracy, I feel.

[On the edge]

Let's eliminate this pointless charade then. If we did have national agencies dealing with everything and it was still thought necessary to have a go between, that could more easily, economically and effectively be achieved by giving the local MP a couple of paid professionals to help. I have to say,our MP's present assistant is very helpful and effective doing just that.

[Andy Capp]

Let's eliminate this pointless charade then. If we did have national agencies dealing with everything and it was still thought necessary to have a go between, that could more easily, economically and effectively be achieved by giving the local MP a couple of paid professionals to help. I have to say,our MP's present assistant is very helpful and effective doing just that.

How would someone become an MP though, unless they are wealthy. If this is a rogue council, is it right to change things nationally? Broadly speaking the poor performance of the council is an inference; we don't always see what 'good' they might do. I know some people who are happy about some of the councillors' work.

Simon's treatment might be a one off and I think it is a little unfair to blame Parkgate on NTC when it is clear (to me) WBC are at fault and have washed their hands of the issue.

[Lolly]

They wouldn't be - planning decisions are decided by council officers and Whitehall inspectors - councillors have almost no influence whatsoever. If a council planning committee goes against the officers recommendation odds are that the inspectors will overturn the decision on appeal.

I think you'll find that only applicants/developers have the right of appeal.

[Lolly]

I thought he had only stood down as deputy leader. Is there to be an election for a replacement?

Hot off the press....

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2014/in-this...weekly-news-110

"In this week’s Newbury Weekly News, Newbury Town Council has been accused of failing to disclose the loss of public money, and of failing to uphold the basic principles of public office.

Its former deputy leader Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera made the claims in a letter of resignation last week.

The council has admitted it missed out on the chance to claim back up to £50,000 of legal expenses in its ongoing dispute with Parkway developer Costain and put the fault down to ‘human error’."

[Andy Capp]

I think you'll find that only applicants/developers have the right of appeal.

That is what blackdog was referring to.

[Lolly]

That is what blackdog was referring to.

Maybe, but my point is that Councillors en masse can overrule officers recommendation for refusal of an application, and Joe Public has no right of appeal. So they do have some power.

[On the edge]

Maybe, but my point is that Councillors en masse can overrule officers recommendation for refusal of an application, and Joe Public has no right of appeal. So they do have some power.

True, but essentially it's just a power to delay until the developer lodges the appeal.

[blackdog]

I think you'll find that only applicants/developers have the right of appeal.

Exactly - and if an officer's recommendation to approve an application is ignored by a planning committee it is pretty much inevitable that the applicant will appeal and the odds are pretty good that they will win the appeal.

Only the applicant can appeal via the planning inspector (a huge bias towards developers). However, anyone can appeal through the courts with a legal challenge - which has to be an appeal against the process through which the decision was reached. Needless to say councils main interest is avoiding such expensive appeals, so they employ professional planning officers to ensure that the correct process is followed. Which makes any instance where councillors overide officers vulnerable to appeal through the courts.

We might as well give up having planning committees.

[Simon Kirby]

We might as well give up having planning committees.

I agree, and I've made the point several times before. Councillors have almost nothing useful to bring to the party. Councils should have development guides that mandate the quality and vibe, and then every planning decision should be a technical decision taken by professional planners, and if the application meets the planning guide and is sustainable then it passes. No need at all for elected amateurs in that process.

And when I say councils, there's no good reason to have the planning function under the control of local government at all. It would be much better off under a national agency. We could have a Development Agency in the same way that the HSE look after industrial health and safety and the Environment Agency look after the natural environment.

The tricky bit is to get a really good design guide, and that might well need some local knowledge, but a national agency could probably knock up a pretty good one just by having a poke about with an eye for local vernacular and character.

[Andy Capp]

That idea works well in China, Russia, etc...

[On the edge]

That idea works well in China, Russia, etc...

Yeah, it's very similar to what we have right now, only difference was that party members (vis Councillors) who didn't follow the party manifesto got set to a gulag....having seen the LibDem web site shame we haven't followed suit!

[Cognosco]

Yeah, it's very similar to what we have right now, only difference was that party members (vis Councillors) who didn't follow the party manifesto got set to a gulag....having seen the LibDem web site shame we haven't followed suit!

This rabble ought to be sent somewhere I reckon they could give any communist party a run for their money when it comes to running a closed dictatorship organisation.

Still I suppose they don't send someone to a Gulag, they just declare you vexatious and ensure you are unable to have any dealings with their little secretive club.

[Simon Kirby]

Still I suppose they don't send someone to a Gulag, they just declare you vexatious and ensure you are unable to have any dealings with their little secretive club.

You'll like this:

After being turned down for my allotment I wrote to the Council complaining that I was being victimised. The Council said they wouldn't investigate my complaint unless I supplied specific evidence, so I wrote to the Council asking for the e-mails, notes, and minutes relating to my eviction. I get this reply this evening:

Further to your earlier emails below I can confirm that your FOI request has been reviewed by the Town Council and is considered as vexatious under s14(1) of the FOI Act

It's hard work, it really is.

[Cognosco]

You'll like this:

After being turned down for my allotment I wrote to the Council complaining that I was being victimised. The Council said they wouldn't investigate my complaint unless I supplied specific evidence, so I wrote to the Council asking for the e-mails, notes, and minutes relating to my eviction. I get this reply this evening:



It's hard work, it really is.

Post what information you require and let one of us put in a FOI for you!

[Lolly]

You'll like this:

After being turned down for my allotment I wrote to the Council complaining that I was being victimised. The Council said they wouldn't investigate my complaint unless I supplied specific evidence, so I wrote to the Council asking for the e-mails, notes, and minutes relating to my eviction. I get this reply this evening:



It's hard work, it really is.

Try submitting a Subject Access Request under the Data Protection Act. There may be a nominal charge, but you might get the information that way.

[Simon Kirby]

Post what information you require and let one of us put in a FOI for you!

Careful with that. Multiple requests starts to engage other reasons to refuse the request as vexatious. Thanks for your support though.

[x2lls]

There has to be a public interest in regard to this. Where are the national press?