Full Council last night proved to be a more respectable event then was billed. The usual small turnout sat in the public pews overlooking the mastered ranks of Councillors and the Council entourage of sherpers, note-takers and senior executives.
The meeting started as it meant to go on. The man in the red frock walked in behind a man with a massive gong which looked very expensive. We had a quick prayer from the resident priest before he had to leg-it to a more pressing engagement. It seems all were in a rush to be somewhere else.
We started with a tiny quibble about the recording of events for minute taking purposes. All agreed, accountability and transparency, how new. One wonders why Medway still, unlike other Councils, don't video the event for public distribution. Perhaps then people could, um, judge the quality of their Councillors. Perhaps then, people who have families, who work, who have normal lives, could actually have accessibility to those that serve them. On second thoughts, perhaps I do know the reason.
Anyway - whilst pondering this, we were already onto the assorted petitions - most notably the pressing concern of overgrown hedges in Strood and concerns about speed-bumps. Local government at its best. The once constant stream of petitions from the Liberal Democrats has all but dried up. The arch-petitioners are eerily quiet.
Then suddenly onto the questions from members of the public.
Now, questions from the audience can sometimes generate interest and even fireworks because it is the only part of the meeting where Councillors have to acknowledge those behind the blue rope barrier, which physically and psychologically separate the masses from the upper echelons of the establishment. The blue rope is symbolic - all those beyond it are entitled to coffee and nibbles. All those before it, you bring your own water. Who serves who, you could have been very confused.
Despite the interesting topics; from a lack of consultation on planning, CCTV cars, Playbuilder cuts, Pentagon Toilet charges (now at 20p for a pee) and the species of tree sapling that will replace the felled foliage on the Paddock, the answers were unremarkable.
Both my questions were asked, but during the second question I sat next to a man who groaned very loudly when I mentioned the CCTV car. Another victim perhaps?! Either way, I for a moment thought he was going to interject. Finally, some action. No it was a cough...
Despite the rhetoric from those that sit on the refreshment side of the blue rope, I was able to confirm that only 18% of the revenue from the CCTV car is actually sourced from near-school fines. Interesting that the rationale for the car remains safety, but the public at large, for better or worse, regard the car as an income generator. I followed up with a fair question on how the Council can effectively counter the reputational risk and damage that the car is inflicting on the administration. No major thoughts followed. Don't think it has sunk in!
With all the questions out of the way we moved swiftly onto the leaders reports. Cllr Chambers (Con) spoke about local government partnerships and attacked the government, Cllr Godwin (Lab) spoke about job cuts and attacked the government, Cllr Juby (Lib) spoke about procurement in local government and attacked the government. The Tories then hailed the work of their MPs who had secured the Labour BSF funding for the Medway Academies from their own government cuts. Lots of guffaws and patting of backs. Cllr Jarrett talked about cuts, more cuts and the blame for the cuts. The gong sparkled. Gordon Brown suddenly got mentioned as having saved the planet before someone made a remark about Testosterone. Biology, politics and anthropology all under the auspices of a man in a red frock with ermine. How Freudian.
Questions from Councillors followed. Most were answered satisfactorily but Cllr Chitty (Con) seemed to get confused with a basic question from the tee-total Cllr Maple (Lab) on whether she would meet a consortium of publicans. Surely, not a problem for the average Councillor who probably, like most of us, enjoys the occasional tipple. Oops, confusion suddenly turned into outrage. What? The audience perked up. The claws were out for some partisan point scoring. What was it all over?! Who cared! Cllr Chitty in full throttle was spitting fury at the question. What a disgrace! An Outrage! How dare you! She refused to answer. Bluster! Rage! Splutter! No one had a clue why! It was all a bit odd. Perhaps she is angry at loosing her seat...
Talking about seats; the River by-election loomed like a white elephant behind the Conservative back-benches. Its trunk extending into the Council coffers to the tune of £11,500. Now that is in the public interest.
We were entering the final stretch and government waste was on the agenda. The gong sparkled, the Councillors drank their free refreshment and the public had, oh gone about an hour ago. More pressing things to do perhaps?
Home for Question Time... after a quick stop off at McDonalds. Cllr Burt I salute you.
The meeting started as it meant to go on. The man in the red frock walked in behind a man with a massive gong which looked very expensive. We had a quick prayer from the resident priest before he had to leg-it to a more pressing engagement. It seems all were in a rush to be somewhere else.
We started with a tiny quibble about the recording of events for minute taking purposes. All agreed, accountability and transparency, how new. One wonders why Medway still, unlike other Councils, don't video the event for public distribution. Perhaps then people could, um, judge the quality of their Councillors. Perhaps then, people who have families, who work, who have normal lives, could actually have accessibility to those that serve them. On second thoughts, perhaps I do know the reason.
Anyway - whilst pondering this, we were already onto the assorted petitions - most notably the pressing concern of overgrown hedges in Strood and concerns about speed-bumps. Local government at its best. The once constant stream of petitions from the Liberal Democrats has all but dried up. The arch-petitioners are eerily quiet.
Then suddenly onto the questions from members of the public.
Now, questions from the audience can sometimes generate interest and even fireworks because it is the only part of the meeting where Councillors have to acknowledge those behind the blue rope barrier, which physically and psychologically separate the masses from the upper echelons of the establishment. The blue rope is symbolic - all those beyond it are entitled to coffee and nibbles. All those before it, you bring your own water. Who serves who, you could have been very confused.
Despite the interesting topics; from a lack of consultation on planning, CCTV cars, Playbuilder cuts, Pentagon Toilet charges (now at 20p for a pee) and the species of tree sapling that will replace the felled foliage on the Paddock, the answers were unremarkable.
Both my questions were asked, but during the second question I sat next to a man who groaned very loudly when I mentioned the CCTV car. Another victim perhaps?! Either way, I for a moment thought he was going to interject. Finally, some action. No it was a cough...
Despite the rhetoric from those that sit on the refreshment side of the blue rope, I was able to confirm that only 18% of the revenue from the CCTV car is actually sourced from near-school fines. Interesting that the rationale for the car remains safety, but the public at large, for better or worse, regard the car as an income generator. I followed up with a fair question on how the Council can effectively counter the reputational risk and damage that the car is inflicting on the administration. No major thoughts followed. Don't think it has sunk in!
With all the questions out of the way we moved swiftly onto the leaders reports. Cllr Chambers (Con) spoke about local government partnerships and attacked the government, Cllr Godwin (Lab) spoke about job cuts and attacked the government, Cllr Juby (Lib) spoke about procurement in local government and attacked the government. The Tories then hailed the work of their MPs who had secured the Labour BSF funding for the Medway Academies from their own government cuts. Lots of guffaws and patting of backs. Cllr Jarrett talked about cuts, more cuts and the blame for the cuts. The gong sparkled. Gordon Brown suddenly got mentioned as having saved the planet before someone made a remark about Testosterone. Biology, politics and anthropology all under the auspices of a man in a red frock with ermine. How Freudian.
Questions from Councillors followed. Most were answered satisfactorily but Cllr Chitty (Con) seemed to get confused with a basic question from the tee-total Cllr Maple (Lab) on whether she would meet a consortium of publicans. Surely, not a problem for the average Councillor who probably, like most of us, enjoys the occasional tipple. Oops, confusion suddenly turned into outrage. What? The audience perked up. The claws were out for some partisan point scoring. What was it all over?! Who cared! Cllr Chitty in full throttle was spitting fury at the question. What a disgrace! An Outrage! How dare you! She refused to answer. Bluster! Rage! Splutter! No one had a clue why! It was all a bit odd. Perhaps she is angry at loosing her seat...
Talking about seats; the River by-election loomed like a white elephant behind the Conservative back-benches. Its trunk extending into the Council coffers to the tune of £11,500. Now that is in the public interest.
We were entering the final stretch and government waste was on the agenda. The gong sparkled, the Councillors drank their free refreshment and the public had, oh gone about an hour ago. More pressing things to do perhaps?
Home for Question Time... after a quick stop off at McDonalds. Cllr Burt I salute you.
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