Council Consultation Query
Last year 2009 we were subjected to the first "round" of consultations about the what and where of demolition and building in Ealing over the next 15 years. This is the Local Development Framework (LDF)consultation. It really is important if you live in Acton, Ealing, West Ealing or Southall. Round 2 is underway now. Last year I asked if an LDF discussion could be included in a Ward Forum. I got a very stern,"NO". Smacked wrist and no proper explanation. I was left dazed and wondering. I could only assume that someone had instructed Conservative councillors not to discuss the future of their wards with the residents they purported to represent. This attitude didn't help the consultation because the response rate was very low(36 residents or local groups from 300,000 odd residents).This attitude to consultation contrasts starkly with the actions of Conservative councillors in 2010. On his blog Cllr Phil Taylor and his team (Costello Brooks et al?)wrote that he collected 1724 resident signatures about the freedom to choose a maintenance contractor. This is an enormous and presumably very hard won haul. So why the U turn Phil? Why should "hearing the people's voice" matter so much in 2010 when it was "silenced" in 2009?
Arthur Breens ● 5664d0 Comments