Cllr Allen Gage poses this basic question following a raft of “Delegated Officer Decisions” and the use of Constitution and Committee System “process”, to hinder the right of elected Councillors to question and scrutinise how Cheshire East Council is run.
“I sometimes think of this councils elected leadership as the second or third man in a 4-man bobsleigh; involved, but not in control!”
“£22k spent on 'dishwashers', recent parking charge increases, the A500 fiasco with a rough surface nobody local asked for and rumble strips so vicious your teeth chatter - all unwanted by locals but the result of decisions supposedly taken by officers.”
“And don't get me started on the non-decisions taken by officers under their powers when a councillor asks for something to be fixed, repaired or changed. This situation exists because councillors have allowed it to be so.”
“Since taking control of the council some years ago, the labour/independent administration quickly started the transition to a committe system. Their chairmen and women oversee the business agendas for each meeting and they have enough votes to pass any business they wish”.
“As every year passes, more and more democratic decision making power is given away by councillors and delegated to officers. This doesn't sit well with me in the slightest and residents are forced to fund it. There is a huge and growing local democratic deficit and the latest example about a Cheshire community losing their local tip and then being denied the promised pop-up/mobile service, sums things up in a nutshell.”
“The local ward councillor, has since tried to challenge this and had hoped to bring the matter up at last month’s environment and communities committee meeting. But acting chair Liz Braithwaite (Macclesfield, Lab) refused to let anyone discuss the HWRC decision at the meeting, on the advice of officers." (Full article link in comments)”
“In effect, you have the situation whereby an officer 'advised' an elected chairwoman not to let a local councillor raise an issue regarding an officers unexpected decision, that is affecting their local residents, (who pay the tax that actually funds the council)!”
“No matter what the fine print in the councils self-imposed constitution may or may not say on the matter, I would hazard a guess that to local rate payers, this comes across as daft and frustratingly does nothing for the residents.”
“Sadly elections at Cheshire East are over two years away, but I would urge you to only vote for people who don't want to keep delegating away the power over how YOUR money is spent (or not spent) in your area”.
“Hope you are enjoying the spring sunshine, at least they can't delegate that away from us!”
Cllr Allen Gage (Willaston & Rope: Conservative)
Photo:
Image ID: BKCMRJ Moviestore Collection Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo
