Re: Council tax U-turn

In article <34b8j1d60s9ccpgf385m18lcpdqfh2adua@xxxxxxx>,
<nmmneosbanjaxed@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 17:09:33 +0100, Welsh Witch
> <ww@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> >People in this area are becoming increasingly worried about the
> >secrecy in which local council business is conducted.
>
> Go on ask them what they are doing. You'll find that there's not that
> much unwillingness to tell you what's going on in local government.

Agreed. There is, in general, very little problem with the majority of
local authorities. I, for one, am immensely pleased to get as much info
on what we are doing as possible "out there", and it is only the local
media (who, in my area's case at least, have their own agenda) and
national government who diminish this.

For example, Blair & Co inflicting a less democratic "cabinet plus
scrutiny" political system on most local authorities makes it look as if
local government is less accountable than it once was. The ignorant
fall into that trap so easily...

> All you have to do is ask. Quote them the freedom of information act
> if it makes you feel better.

I and my colleagues have had to do that for the unelected Blair-created
quangoes that operate in my area, specifically health trusts. Very
revealing this has turned out to be too!

> Ask for the documents relating to whatever secret doings you think
> they are up to. No one is trying to steal your freedom in local
> government.

Well, there probably are a few examples of that around the country, but
they will be very much in the minority I believe.

> Tony Blair and his crowd of Neo Authoritarian twits are another
> matter.

Aj yes: the Communists with a thin pseudo-Conservative veneer...

--
John M Ward - see http://www.horsted.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/
Conservative Councillor for Rochester South & Horsted ward, Medway
* Oppose electoral fraud, especially through postal votes
* Scrap the ODPM, SEERA, and the Standards Board for England
* Return all local decisions to local people
.