The GNDP have operated a policy of excluding anyone who is not a member of the self selecting group from their meetings. Not only that they did not publish agendas or minutes for the general public. Whilst operating in this mode they have prepared the Joint Core Strategy and handed it down not for consideration but for implementation. In the meantime they worked on a system which delegated liberal powers to officers under the title of GNDP Directors!!!! Prior to the Examination in Public in the Kings Centre in November members of the public challenged this process and suddenly all the previous agendas and minutes were published. However, this was raised as a concern by residents at the hearing the Inspector expressed surprise that the meetings were not being held in accordance with the Local Government Act 1972. As today, 16 December, was the first meeting of the GNDP following the hearing, campaigners sought to change that ruling and attend the meeting. This was refused. So much for openness in Government and what price Mr Pickles much vaunted Localism Bill. These Councils just want to try and force this through before they have to apply the new regime.
As usual the media do not want to accept any criticism of this quango. BBC said they were too busy and the EDP just print their own view of life in Norfolk.
Yes I was one of those who attended and the way in which we were treated was a disgrace. Democracy died at County Hall yesterday and I even had to have a Security Guard escort me to and from the toilet.
The GNDP voted not to allow any public presence at these meetings. This was curious because Derrick Murphy, the new leader of the County Council and the leader of the GNDP spoke to campaigners before the meeting and was adamant that he had no leeway in this matter. The subject was on the agenda and even if the GNDP agreed it in the meeting, it would still have to go back to the principals i.e the councils for ratification. Now it appears that was not true either as they have already decided to keep the public out.
So much for democracy then,what a disgraceful situation. Its bad enough having to bow down to unnaccountable unelected European commissioners . Now we have these people behaving just as arrogantly. Roll on May 5th next year,at least then we shall have a chance to democratically elect some new faces onto the local government scene.
Anonymous is dead right. I seem to recall that the Green Party candidate did very bedly during the last elections - no more than a few hundred votes. If some 3,200 local people signed the petition, I'd have thought at least that number would vote Green, as this is the only party that can be relied upon to stand up forcefully and intelligently to the threats to the area.
And no, I am not overlooking Edith Crowther, who writes at great length against the development threat - but bear in mind I used the term 'intelligently'. The BNP, which Crowther represents, is a neo-Nazi party that is willing to exploit people's fears over massive development for its own xenophobic and racist ends. Their policies are not intelligent, just bigoted.
The GNDP have operated a policy of excluding anyone who is not a member of the self selecting group from their meetings. Not only that they did not publish agendas or minutes for the general public.
ReplyDeleteWhilst operating in this mode they have prepared the Joint Core Strategy and handed it down not for consideration but for implementation.
In the meantime they worked on a system which delegated liberal powers to officers under the title of GNDP Directors!!!!
Prior to the Examination in Public in the Kings Centre in November members of the public challenged this process and suddenly all the previous agendas and minutes were published. However, this was raised as a concern by residents at the hearing the Inspector expressed surprise that the meetings were not being held in accordance with the Local Government Act 1972.
As today, 16 December, was the first meeting of the GNDP following the hearing, campaigners sought to change that ruling and attend the meeting.
This was refused.
So much for openness in Government and what price Mr Pickles much vaunted Localism Bill. These Councils just want to try and force this through before they have to apply the new regime.
As usual the media do not want to accept any criticism of this quango. BBC said they were too busy and the EDP just print their own view of life in Norfolk.
ReplyDeleteYes I was one of those who attended and the way in which we were treated was a disgrace. Democracy died at County Hall yesterday and I even had to have a Security Guard escort me to and from the toilet.
ReplyDeleteThe GNDP voted not to allow any public presence at these meetings.
ReplyDeleteThis was curious because Derrick Murphy, the new leader of the County Council and the leader of the GNDP spoke to campaigners before the meeting and was adamant that he had no leeway in this matter. The subject was on the agenda and even if the GNDP agreed it in the meeting, it would still have to go back to the principals i.e the councils for ratification.
Now it appears that was not true either as they have already decided to keep the public out.
So much for democracy then,what a disgraceful situation. Its bad enough having to bow down to unnaccountable unelected European commissioners . Now we have these people behaving just as arrogantly. Roll on May 5th next year,at least then we shall have a chance to democratically elect some new faces onto the local government scene.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous is dead right. I seem to recall that the Green Party candidate did very bedly during the last elections - no more than a few hundred votes. If some 3,200 local people signed the petition, I'd have thought at least that number would vote Green, as this is the only party that can be relied upon to stand up forcefully and intelligently to the threats to the area.
ReplyDeleteAnd no, I am not overlooking Edith Crowther, who writes at great length against the development threat - but bear in mind I used the term 'intelligently'. The BNP, which Crowther represents, is a neo-Nazi party that is willing to exploit people's fears over massive development for its own xenophobic and racist ends. Their policies are not intelligent, just bigoted.