QUOTE (On the edge @ May 29 2012, 09:35 PM)
I think nearly all of us agree that the job of deciding what Council funds should be used for is very difficult. There is never and never likely to be enough money to meet all the demands. A balance must be struck. As the budgets are managed locally, service provision is likely to differ, sometimes substantially, depending on where you live. This is localisim - all about local difference. Arguably, the legal challenge against West Berks for reducing the level of suppoirt our elected councillors have chosen to allocate to support a segment of the community is really a challenge to local democracy. If you really believe in local democracy and accountability is a post code lottery so wrong? We (as a collective majority) voted them in - its our choice being challenged
Any legal challenge can only succeed if WBC have acted outside of the scope of their powers - so the challenge is not anti-democratic because, whoever we vote for, they are bound to act within the various laws, guidelines, requirements, processes, etc.