The Labour administration running Oxford City Council has stopped yet another way of interacting with the general public. Lack of accountability and transparency is becoming a trademark for them, as they ignore the largest ever petition in the city's history, councillors refuse to talk to their voters, and now this...
At the City Executive Board last night we saw another nail hammered into the coffin of democracy. The labour administration is making sure that no-one can openly criticise it, and gradually removing the opportunities for the general public to make comments or question them. Usually at the CEB you submit a question in advance, and are then invited in the meeting to ask it in person.
OK, so the answer is usually a ‘non’ answer, but at least the question gets into the minutes for posterity and the Politburo that runs this Stalinist regime at least comes under a bit of pressure, especially if you don’t accept their answer and openly question it. No longer. Last night, faced with 6 questions from the Save Temple Cowley Pools Action Group, the leader, Bob Price, decided to run through them himself, paraphrasing what we had asked and mumbling some responses. None of the questions, or what he said about them, were audible to the small listening public. Will this happen again next time? We don’t know, but we’ll be there to ask and find out and report back. Yes, this points to a system that is breaking – badly and seriously.
This Labour administration is now a totally unaccountable regime, believing that it is not answerable to the public until the next elections in May 2012. As a campaign group we have to balance being militant enough to make a difference and move the campaign forward with keeping the general public on our side. Keeping that balance is increasingly difficult. Watch this space, and the campaign website
http://savetemplecowleypools.webs.com
OK, so the answer is usually a ‘non’ answer, but at least the question gets into the minutes for posterity and the Politburo that runs this Stalinist regime at least comes under a bit of pressure, especially if you don’t accept their answer and openly question it. No longer. Last night, faced with 6 questions from the Save Temple Cowley Pools Action Group, the leader, Bob Price, decided to run through them himself, paraphrasing what we had asked and mumbling some responses. None of the questions, or what he said about them, were audible to the small listening public. Will this happen again next time? We don’t know, but we’ll be there to ask and find out and report back. Yes, this points to a system that is breaking – badly and seriously.
This Labour administration is now a totally unaccountable regime, believing that it is not answerable to the public until the next elections in May 2012. As a campaign group we have to balance being militant enough to make a difference and move the campaign forward with keeping the general public on our side. Keeping that balance is increasingly difficult. Watch this space, and the campaign website
http://savetemplecowleypools.webs.com
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And in the county
14.01.2011 13:37
They planned to close the public gallery for the full council meeting on Tuesday ‘on health and safety grounds’.
I never put much faith in most politicians to truly represent people's views. But I am a bit surprised it's getting even worse.
:-)