Forum Topic

Worthy of consideration?

Several times on this forum the way Hounslow Council now conducts its business has been questioned. In the past few months we have seen several examples of very unhappy residents banging their collective heads against an intransigent wall of officers with elected members seemingly incapable or unwilling to intervene.Hounslow now has the 'cabinet' model where a few members with portfolios for specific areas have the power invested in them, and officers have had more and more power delegated to them, even though none of them were elected to represent us. The previous committee set-up might have been slightly more bureaucratic but it seems to me that it at least had the merit of giving each and every councillor a role and a purpose. It also gave all councillors an opportunity to have an overview of what the issues were in other wards apart from their own and to give them some consideration at budget setting time, it also afforded members the chance to ask about and probe officers reports and recommendations, something that appears to have gone the way of the Dodo. Now it seems from recent experience that officers call the tune and members just quietly acquiesce, never mind the locals they said they wanted to represent. This cabinet system seems to have disenfranchised not only the public but a lot of elected councillors as well.It now seems the tail wags the dog. From a conversation I had today I gather some authorities have had a change of heart and reverted back to the 'old' way of doing things, from where I am I'd say it's way past time Hounslow took a good, hard look at what the hell they are doing, because looking at this forum and W4 I'd say there are a lot of very unhappy bunnies out there. None of what goes on fills many of us with much confidence in the political system, time for a change?  

Vanessa Smith ● 3948d4 Comments

I do believe that party politics is the root of our retarded methods.Local people with a sense of duty towards others and with a reasonable degree of intelligence and genuine ability to engage openly and honestly.You do not need to be have party colours to have a sense of duty and honour.There are people with those qualities and there most certainly were in times past.But local party politics has bullied them out and is now so entrenched in dogma that it's time for a new broom and a different way of doing things.Leave the big party politics for national and european politics.Alas it won't happen and we will lumber on down Decline Avenue to Corruption Cross.

Raymond Havelock ● 3947d

It isn't any consolation I know, but for what it's worth someone who lives over the border in Richmond borough was saying much the same to me yesterday. I now believe that far from local councillors being representatives and advocates for local people they are now the enemy. We spend too much time having to fight and argue our corner when I thought the whole point was that we should work together for mutual benefit. And they wonder why people are disengaged from politics.................

Vanessa Smith ● 3947d

It can only work if it is wholly transparent, properly democratic and has officers who are not politicised, but capable, diligent and care about the borough and inhabitants they serve . It needs Councillors who are able enough to comprehend question the advice they receive, and never forget their primary duty to residents and local businesses first and not to be middlemen and fixers to external forces.One of the big problems that has dogged this borough is it's over politicised corporation and the endless political manouvering within parties let alone between parties. The biggest problem is arrogance and that has clearly manifested in the cabinet system. The taxpaying public has been frozen out along with those who take the trouble to get involved in various groups who care very much about parts of this borough.The end result is all around us. If it were a true democracy, we the voting residents should decide how the council conducts it's affairs.

Raymond Havelock ● 3948d

Vanessa,The committee process is one which many of us favour. Given the elimination of questions at Cabinet, a reduction in Scrutiny Committees and the requirement to have 10 members ( increased from 3) to call- in matters of concern  this and the last Administration  are reluctant to engage despite stating to the contrary.There's a bigger audience for the Punch  and Judy shows in my local park than at the  main council.We need to move forward and engage more effectively. The overt cynicism of some locals including committed community or preservation groups following recent planning decisions does not add  to our credibility.John

John Todd ● 3948d