{"id":625,"date":"2007-05-18T08:07:51","date_gmt":"2007-05-18T08:07:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onlinefocus.org\/?p=625"},"modified":"2007-05-18T08:18:10","modified_gmt":"2007-05-18T08:18:10","slug":"625","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onlinefocus.org\/625\/","title":{"rendered":"Less <\/I> Democracy"},"content":{"rendered":"

The “Cabinet System” of running the District Council is only 3 days old, but already a lot of councillors – Lib Dems and<\/em> Conservatives – are feeling disillusioned.<\/p>\n

It’s supposed to be more efficient <\/strong>and businesslike <\/strong>– . But the cabinet member with responsibility for the councils website and IT doesn’t even have a computer at home or an email address. How many businesses would make a decision like that?<\/p>\n

Having area committees is supposed to make the council more responsive<\/strong> to local people – but the first meeting of the committee for Rayleigh and Rawreth isn’t until Weds 18th July . This will be in Rayleigh Methodist Church in Eastwood Road. Considering the number of issues affecting the area, this is really slow.<\/em><\/p>\n

We were also promised that things would be kept democratic<\/strong>. So the meetings of the Cabinet would be held in the evening , meaning:<\/p>\n

  • \nAll councillors could attend if they wanted to (maybe to take part, maybe just to watch).<\/li>\n
  • Members of the public who work could come and watch.<\/li>\n

    The Conservative Leadership (or to be more accurate , half the leadership) now want to have the Cabinet Meetings in the afternoons. So after only a couple of days, they are already trying to make things less open and democratic! We will be fiercely resisting this. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The “Cabinet System” of running the District Council is only 3 days old, but already a lot of councillors – Lib Dems and Conservatives – are feeling disillusioned. It’s supposed to be more efficient and businesslike – . 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