Cambo Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Hello chris I admire you because you are one of the very few cllr's who's willing to engage with us bloggers which I applude & I believe you are one of the good guys I also believe you will always try to do the right thing & defend those who need defending!! But having said that please do not go outing any bloggers on here who wish to remain anoymous? as they do so for good reason in that they work for the council or other government services & we need those who are willing to speak out & let the general public know wot is going!! but because there is a fear culture that runs through local authorities in that if anyone speaks out about wrong doing & corruption then they run the risk of losing there job,this is wrong & until such time that this is ended & that fear is eradicated then there identities most remain anonymous!! I will not tolerant bulling in any shape or form & I will defend those who are @ risk because they dare to speak out!! If this means I have to confront those doing the bullying face to face in public then I will do so!! I do not believe thou for one minute that you are a bully personally but because your back is causing you so much pain it is clouding your judgement on allowing people to remain anoymous?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megilleland Posted September 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 September 2014 in Hereford Times Letters Committee system is a bureaucratic nightmare IT would appear that Cllrs Terry James, Anthony Powers and Bob Matthews have never worked under the old council committee system, otherwise they would know that it’s a bureaucratic nightmare and totally inefficient. A committee will be tasked to debate an issue and then, as was often the case, will defer it to the next meeting, or on to a sub-committee, who will then report back to the main committee. Even then the main committee members may still not agree and it will be passed on to yet another committee, or sub-committee, for advice. By the time a decision is finally made, several months may have passed, and if the matter was urgent or important, residents will invariably have been inconvenienced or even put at risk. The cabinet system has resolved these problems and the new overview and scrutiny committees are in place to fully examine cabinet decisions, which can be recalled if needed. Virtually all successful and efficient councils in this country operate under the cabinet system, with most of them being run by Conservative administrations. BRUCE BAKER Sutton St Nicholas Trouble is most decisions under this Cabinet are crass and work against the ratepayer with little transparency or scrutiny. Musical chairs - Practical issues for local authorities in moving to a committee system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megilleland Posted April 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 7th April 2015 in Hereford Times Letters There's nothing 'behind closed doors' I see there have been comments about the cabinet system being “secretive, behind closed doors†and that we need a committee system. I would point out that all key matters for decision are published on the Herefordshire Council website before decisions are made. Scrutiny chairmen, group leaders and all councillors are invited to comment before the decision. Council, cabinet, planning, audit and governance, scrutiny (both health and general) and LEP joint executive committee meetings are public meetings. The cabinet system was introduced by the Lib Dems and when other groups were offered places on the cabinet, they refused them. With a committee system, there would be no scrutiny, and in any case a working group is sitting to examine management options. Does this sound like secrecy and closed doors? TONY JOHNSON Leader, Herefordshire Council He of course doesn't refer to the electorate who have no say in their vanity projects and personal ambitions. You can comment, but we won't listen to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dippyhippy Posted June 12, 2015 Report Share Posted June 12, 2015 Can anybody tell me where we are up to, in this process of ridding ourselves of this horrendous cabinet system??? Now that the election has been and gone, we still have the same self serving buffoons in the cabinet, plus a few newbies thrown in for good measure...... Nothing has changed. I thought it was merely a matter of time before a new, fairer system was brought in...... and yet..... nothing is happening. Perhaps it's time to have another push on the petition...." No Confidence In Herefordshire Council Cabinet"? Surely we cannot continue to allow seven folks to make all the major decisions around here??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise Lloyd Posted June 13, 2015 Report Share Posted June 13, 2015 Question - When new Ward Councillors turn up for their first Council meeting how do they get selected to join various Committees do they like new elected MP's have to make maiden speeches for which they will be forever remembered or do they make known which areas they specialise in eg - housing/transport/social care? Or is it just a case of the seletors like the look of them and like their particular political party? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dippyhippy Posted June 13, 2015 Report Share Posted June 13, 2015 I recall asking a similar question quite some time ago. Another poster, I think it was Aylestone Voice (and apologies if it wasn't) replied that if a councillor has any particular knowledge or business interest, they are immediately steered away from that area, because of potential conflict of interest. All well and good, but we end up with councillors sitting on committees and voting on issues that they just do not have a sound understanding of. Surely if councillors were up front, honest and had integrity, we should be able to benefit from any expertise that they may have?? With regard to getting onto a committee.... folks are nominated, then there is a vote. With the Cons and Independents snuggling up to each other again, there's not much hope of IOC getting anything with teeth.( Liz Harvey and Alan Seldon were quite a formidable duo on the scrutiny committee....... so that pairing has gone!)Although I do believe the numbers on committees have to be proportional to each parties number of councillors. I'm sure others can explain it better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenda Powell Posted June 13, 2015 Report Share Posted June 13, 2015 Dippy, yes the number of councillors on committee's have to be proportionate in regard to the size of the groups, these seats are discussed with the leaders of ALL parties, and the leaders recommend councillors to each committee, that said the seats are allocated by the Leader of the council Cllr Johnson who may not agree with the party leaders recommendations and put councillors somewhere else.When I was a councillor I was put on the health & social care scrutiny committee because I had 12 years experience in that field, I was also on Regulatory where you had to go through rigulous training to be on there, and the employment panel, in 2007 I was vice chair of planning, but that changed in 2011. Which ever committee you are put on you should have some experience / knowledge of that committee's work. Since May 7 I have found out that the Independents DID NOT snuggle up to the Tories because many of the group did not get the committee they asked for.The majority of councillors on these committee's are Tories, they always have the highest number of seats because they are the larges group on the council (blame the people that voted them back in) Because the Tories are the ruling party they have decided the cabinet and members will stay in place. It is surprising what you hear and find out when you are no longer one of them, and what I have heard in the past 6 weeks I am glad I'm not one of them now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dippyhippy Posted June 13, 2015 Report Share Posted June 13, 2015 Many thanks for posting, Glenda. So basically, the decisions made prior to the election with regard to seeing the back of the cabinet system have now been vetoed?? No longer on the agenda?? That sounds about right. As long as this cabinet system continues, we will continue to have the same issues we have had before.....a handful of folks calling the shots. It's not what I would call a democracy, and yes, we only have conservative voters to blame, they obviously want another four years of the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted June 13, 2015 Report Share Posted June 13, 2015 As long as this cabinet system continues, we will continue to have the same issues we have had before.....a handful of folks calling the shots. It's not what I would call a democracy, and yes, we only have conservative voters to blame, they obviously want another four years of the same. It doesn't help when two half decent alternative candidates stand against a Tory in the same Ward. It splits the vote and the Tory gets in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dippyhippy Posted June 13, 2015 Report Share Posted June 13, 2015 Completely agree, Roger. You'll get no argument from me on that point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenda Powell Posted June 13, 2015 Report Share Posted June 13, 2015 that was exactly what happened for all the wrong reasons, everyone wanted the Tories out and the way they thought it would happen is that every group put a candidate up in every ward, there were five in Newton Farm, and only two including myself live in Newton Farm, the other three who stood two live in belmont and one north of the river, the Tory came in third. It did not help when two Independents stood against each other, and the one played a dirty tricks campaign right from the begining, and that is why he won! unfortunately for the residents he has not been seen on the ward since the election. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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