May 5th - an opportunity to change things?

All of Broadland's 47 district council seats are being contested on May 5th. This is the one chance for local people to really have some influence, even to put themselves forward as candidates. Over 500 town and parish council seats might also be contested on the same day.
 
The community needs people who will stand and challenge the direction being taken by Broadland District Council.  Otherwise, the present leader and cabinet system will continue, where a small group take over the council and control the decision-making process. Anybody wishing to influence local authority policy must penetrate this inner sanctum. This cabinet is made up mostly of members from the ruling political group.

The cabinet system of running district councils allows councillors to delegate authority to selected members and officers of the Council which results in some individuals holding most of the power. They achieve this by having power delegated by committee resolutions as here:  "delegate authority to Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy & Conservation and Director of Strategy and Chief Planner".  Those two positions within Broadland District Council will influence the future of Broadland forever. Power and politics are a heady combination.

Why?  well they are planning to build 10,000 to 12,000 extra houses in the fringes of Norwich and claim that they have a mandate to do this.  This a town bigger than Thetford!

5 comments:

  1. I totally agree with what you're saying, but the point is that we need just ONE person to stand for election in each ward on May 5th, not loads! If only there were already candidates to vote for who stands against the development-for-the-hell(and profit)-of-it. Your previous post asked 'where is Keith Simpson?' - I want to know, 'Where on erath are the Green Party?'

    The answer, as far as I can gather, is up their own asses faffing about trying to get a Green MP for Norwich South at some point in the future, which is draining all their energy away from genuione local green issues.

    You are also right about the inherent imbalance in the 'cabinet' system. Brick-heads like Proctor & Woodbridge end up with disproportionate power over decisions that affect parts of Norfolk a long way from where they and their constituents live. It is time for change, but who can we hope to deliver it?

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  2. When did they get the Mandate to do this ? At all the Public meetings I have attended they have been told very clearly that the residents are against it. We need to get rid of this lot in May and elect a new Council who will represent the wishes of the electorate and NOT the Developers.

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  3. Rackheath Resident22 February 2011 at 11:08

    Proctor, Woodbridge and Kirby have NEVER listened to the local residents, they only support their developer friends.

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  4. Can we please select Candidates who state clearly that they will represent the wishes of the WARD that they represent. We have had enough of the Developer Members.

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  5. Time we got rid of the wretched CABINET system where just a few well paid "Professional" Councillors make all the decisions regardless of the views of the residents.
    Did you see the EXPENSES printed recently and we thought Westminster was bad enough.

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