| Topic: | Re:Re:No vote of No Confidence from the "Opposition" at LBH Borough Council meeting | |
| Posted by: | Cllr Sam Hearn | |
| Date/Time: | 21/07/16 12:34:00 |
| A few facts: Steve Curran was elected leader of the Council for a four year term. It is virtually impossible to remove him from his post if he does not want to go - does this perhaps remind you of another Labour Leader? Steve Curran was elected to his role by the Hounslow Labour Councillors. In the first instance it is up to them to indicate that they wish him to stand down or lose the Party whip. It is up to the local Labour Party if it so chooses to censure him and/or not to re-select him as a candidate in May 2018. The Slattery Case that I assume you are referring to only indirectly relates to Steve Curran's position as Council Leader. Some say that that his reaction in a stressful situation was inappropriate. However it a quite a large mental leap to say that his actions in this single case (not directly part of his role as Leader) should lead to him being asked to stand down as Leader of the Council. If "concerned local residents" really wish to see what Hounslow's only Opposition Party is doing then they should turn up at Borough Council meetings. This week they would have seen some constructive collaborative working but also much constructive criticism based on detailed research and meetings and discussions with officers. It is becoming increasingly obvious that after ten years of a council tax freeze Labour's financial plans are unravelling as evidenced by the £8.9m overspend in 2015/16 and the recent admission that many key cost savings are now regarded as unachieveable and that there are NO contingency funds to draw on. Labour complains that local government is being starved of funds does not remove from councillors the responsibility to provide comprehensive and high quality local services. If Labour Councillors cannot deliver on this they should not have stood for election in the first place. Labour's commitment to more citizen engagement, fully supported by the Conservative Group, has finally resulted in the publication of a Consultation Charter. However it will come as no surprise to long time residents of Brentford that the Lead Member confirmed that if the residents chose the "wrong option" in a consultation then the Council will simply override the wishes of residents and impose their own preferred solution. Citizen engagement and local democracy at work or just more of the same old same old "we know best"? So its not all about "Cherry Trees". I presented a petition from 61 residents of Staveley Road at this weeks Borough Council meeting. Yes it was about Cherry Trees. Punch "Chiswick Cherry Trees" into Google and you will see what the fuss is about. I had to present the petition by hand because it appears that the original petition (sent by recorded delivery) has been lost within the Civic Centre. I did this to try and ensure that residents' complaints would be answered as speedily as possible and not be delayed by apparent administrative malfunctions. |