The curious missing comments box

Why have Archant removed the capability to comment on their articles in the online
Evening News and EDP that reports the resignation of Salhouse parish councillors?


Well in the absence of this facility we have reproduced below the comments we
have received by email personally to Stephen Heard and on our Facebook page as
follows:

“What a very curious response from the councillors - they don't like his ideas so they
resign? Or did they find their own democratic deficit an embarrassment, as most of
them were probably co-opted rather than elected? y decided to make such a big deal
of the fact he forced an election, he is perfectly entitled to do so and it is the only way
to get in genuine new blood in a sea of councillors largely nominated by their mates.
Elections have been forced before in Thorpe St Andrew and no one made a big song
and dance about it. I have no idea why they decided to make such a big deal of the
fact he forced an election, he is perfectly entitled to do so and it is the only way to
get in genuine new blood in a sea of councillors largely nominated by their mates.
Elections have been forced before in Thorpe St Andrew and no-one made a big song
and dance about it.”

“What very dangerous 'liars' these few people are! anybody can see that if they
had any regard for their parisheners and believed what they were doing was 'right' ,
they would have fought till the end instead of gross 'cowardis' when challenged by 1
man....all this will come out of the woodwork eventually.”

“Why would you resign over the thought of by elections!! Especially when you have
thousands in the bank to cover them. Still I suppose they couldn't stand the thought
of someone challenging their narrow minded views. Well the people have spoken
and it is clear they wanted fresh blood. Guess there will be the opportunity for a more
of it now.”

“Well done Stephen. The mass resignation is really very odd - what the hell were
they trying to achieve?”

“Bloody hell! Amazing news Stephen - what on Earth must have been going
on with SPC members for them to feel the need to resign en masse just
because the people they're there to serve the will of expressed their will by
voting overwhelmingly for someone with particular views on development
and the ruination of the countryside? My incredulity grew as I read through
your text - Phil Kirby turning up in person to oversee the count? - Surely that's
not usual? Who were these ex-SPC members actually representing? The
people need to know the answer to that question. We could do with as full an
analysis as possible of the situation and how it came about - there may well
be other PCs in the "greater Norwich" area similarly corrupted.”

“Congratulations on your success, and lets look forward to revitalised and
genuinely representative Salhouse Parish Council!”

“Congratulations, Stephen, and very best wishes.”

“Congratulations. Looks like Kirby and co are getting nervous. Lets hope that
other councils will stop baulking from dark ages fears. I do hope you get a
new council elected. Keep up the good work.”

“Let me add my congratulations to Jacky’s and everyone else! As co-option
appears to be the norm at Salhouse I feel sure that there are residents
that are waiting in the wings to join. Hopefully Salhouse will join the CPRE
Alliance in the near future!”

“Am stunned by the actions of the chairman of the PC who should be
encouraging fair and open elections to fill vacancies on the PC. This appears
to be an orchestrated resignation by the good ole boys of the PC who may
well assume they will be back at the helm through co-option having made
their point! Hopefully that won’t happen and other residents with a less feudal
and more democratic approach to the third tier of local government may now
follow your example Stephen. Well done.”

“That is extraordinary. Congratulations Stephen. I hope that other campaigners will
feel inspired to stand for election on a sustainable development ticket. With you on
the PC and most of the former bunch having resigned, Salhouse PC will be in a good
position to oppose the GNDP manipulated JCS consultation on the 9,000 dwellings
and as you say, to find out the goings-on of the previous PC.”

“Stephen a bittersweet result for you and your Team! I believe the mass resignation
says volumes about the commitment of some of those individual parish councillors
to local democracy and your election has evidenced this fact. To ignore or publicly
rubbish the Legal Challenge was in my opinion an error of judgement and caused
apathy amongst the residents who were delighted when you knocked on their
door requesting their support! As a result of this debacle, there is now no bona
fide Parish Council or members in place to complete the democratic process to
canvass, to hold public meetings and to make personal visits to advise residents of
the impact of the JCS prior to the October 8th deadline at 5pm on the Consultation
period.”

We have to date not received any negative comments and the facility to let those
who are not close to these issues place a comment so we will never know.