Torbays council administration has been in the news again for all the wrong reasons.It seems that in spite of an extensive (and growing) property portfolio across the Bay council officers have been spending £100,000 annually on hiring hotel conference rooms.
The tut- tutting from Elisabeth Raikes about the fact that this issue has been given such a lot of publicity reminded me of her equally disdainful predecessor, Richard Painter.
It's another symptom of the mindset of council officers - that Torbay Council is their fiefdom and the best thing us 'little people' can do is run along and let them get on with spending our money.
The trouble is that they see Torbay Council as a huge corporation responsible for schools, social services and to some extent, the local economy; whereas most local taxpayers see the council as the bin men and road sweepers.
The best way to bridge this gap between residents and their council is to elect councillors with the intellect, determination and ability to hold the officers to account; something Torbay has not had for a long time.
Posts
.JPG)
.jpg)
8 comments:
Pity then Marcus that TORY MAYOR Nick Bye and his TORY cabinet are failing to give a political lead. His inaction and inertia is leading to a directionless officer-led council.
The council you berate is a TORY council, although I do agree the calibre of councillors [of all parties] could be better. However the antics of the oppositionalist HE and their vilifying of councillors hardly encourages a broader range of people to stand for office.
Hopefully our next round of local elections in May 2007 will see a new influx of business orientated councillors standing.
Perhaps then the current perception of councillors as only in it to top up their pensions any way they can will be altered.
Hopefully the ability of many of the current lot to shoot themselves in both feet will be a thing of the past as well.
Also doesn't Barrie Wood read the local paper? Nick Bye is always involved in obtaining feedback and suggestions from the local population, and Barrie it will take months to get back on track after the last few years shambles.
I would suggest we review the mayor's progress in 12 months time before continually carping on about his lack of vision etc.
After all he did campaign on a policy of working with the electorate, and that cannot be achieved overnight.
What is needed is a full review of our non elected coucil officers and remove as many layers as possible. End the days of empire building once and for all.
How about a new TV program where Alan Sugar blitzes through the council and recommends who should be fired and retained? That would certainly throw a new perspective on the situation.
I love the idea of Alan Sugar....
Barrie, you are wrong - in spite of the Lib Dems spinning your line like mad the council is still very much a Lib Dem controlled chamber - they hold the majority and can (and do) block anything of Nicks they don't like. Also the majority of committee posts are held by Lib Dems still.
There have been too many cases of political games behind the scenes by your Lib Dem mates and trust that they want to do anything other than play a wrecking game has all but gone.
I am afraid this line of attack will only do them even more damage in the long run, but hey-ho, it helps me in the end so I suppose I ought to be grateful.
If Alan Sugar went near Oldway there wouldn't be anyone left.
Seems the people who blog on this site have been completely brainwashed by you in believing you are a reputable candidate. If you get elected heaven help the people of Torbay and the Conservative Party. You are the kind of person they should be distancing themselves from if they are to have any hope of ever gaining and keeping power again
Seems the people who blog on this site have been completely brainwashed by you in believing you are a reputable candidate. If you get elected heaven help the people of Torbay and the Conservative Party. You are the kind of person they should be distancing themselves from if they are to have any hope of ever gaining and keeping power again
Marcus,
You can't have it both ways ! Nick Bye complains about the Lib Dems not working with him, but as Gordon Jennings and even yourself allude to, they are working with him by active engagement on committees and strong attendance at cabinet meetings.
Nick is the one spinning. Nothing is ever his fault and it's all the fault of the Lib Dems, despite the fact he's the only one who can really initiate policy.
His claim in the HE that he can't change anything as Mayor says more about him than the position he holds.
He has more power than anyone at the Town Hall and more power than any previous 'leader', but he doesn't know what to do with it !
Hamilin is our twin town. Could we not ask them for help in lending us a few of thier councillors and administrators to guide and oversee our local comedians?
Post a Comment