Chris,I am not sure whether your assertions are based on straightforward facts, duly and extensively documented, or merely on what appears to be on anti-conservatives propaganda material. The facts are that what you call ‘conservative maladministration’ did manage in four years to turn a zero star rated Ealing council in 2005 into a four star one and in doing so being awarded as the ‘best council in the country’ in 2009. It is also a fact, yet again documented, that the Chairman of the Special scrutiny panel in charge to find an alternative to the Area committee system that would deliver a better local democracy to its residents was a Labour Acton councillor – not a Conservative one. The recommendations from that panel paved the way to move away from the old and tired system of area committees and the institution of Ward Forums.At the end of their first year, a consultation was undertaken asking people whether they wanted to retain Ward forum or go back to area committee. The majority of those who responded wanted to retain them.If you have councillors who know all the different parts of their ward well, who communicate with their residents regularly and who follow up and can update their residents on what is happening in the ward, but most of all that take on board, listen and act on to what residents have to say then you do have a Ward Forum that will attracts residents attendance on a regular basis. If some ward forum are regarded by the local community as a ‘total waste of time’ is because the above does not happen.
Rosa Popham ● 5026d