Every week, his PR Department circulate national and local press comment. Anything remotely critical of Merrick Cockell is never included.Cockell has now extended this censorship to the Hornet. The Hornet was set up to provide an alternative voice: one which would report on matters Cockell did not wish residents or councillors to know of.
It has been well received. Every week 900 plus visitors check out the site. Since it started over 104,000 people have visited.
It now appears that no councillor or officer, using the Council server system, is permitted access to the Hornet. By this action Cockell has shown great disrespect to his colleagues.
It is to be hoped, that at the next Council meeting, the leaders of the minority groups....and of course, decent Conservative councillors, will challenge this impertinent abuse of power.
If they won't...they become part of the problem.
It is about time the opposition groups did what they are paid handsome allowances to do, rather than leaving it all t the Hornet. The Lib Dems are truly pathetic
ReplyDeleteLabour are no better. Then just wring their hands and complain that there is nothing that they can do.
ReplyDeleteTruly pathetic and time for some new opposition faces.
If this story is true then it is another significant interference with democracy and strangulation of free speech.
ReplyDeleteAn FOI inquiry needs to be immediately sent to the Council. After that, the national press should be alerted.
Place the blame in the proper quarter. Before criticising RBKC's three Lib Dem councillors and around eight[?] Labour ones, the question is how many Conservative councillors are there? Is it 40 or 50?
ReplyDeleteOnly Conservative councillors have the numbers and therefore the clout to move decisively against Pooter and his pernicious little clique. Until the majority of councillors act in the public interest, rather than staying silent to protect their profitable committee sinecures etc - nothing will change.
FOIA requests are dangerous, as requesters are accused of being 'vexatious' ergo, 'we won't tell you, nerrr'
ReplyDeleteI have thought for a long time that the standard of most politicians, MPs or Local Councillors, is very poor. Worse now than ever before and that is saying a great deal. It maybe because Politicians unlike Lawyers and Doctors for instance, do not need any formal qualifications, so for those people who either failed their exams or only managed to get low grades then Politics offers the opportunity to make a decent living without studying too hard! The only qualifications is the ability to have no scruples, to be able to avoid telling the truth convincingly and not be too honest. As for Sir Merrick is concerned any prospective Council Candidate who is straight laced, honest, diligent and genuinely cares for the community (as the Dame does) will not be touched with a barge pole.
ReplyDeleteIf the council was well run Sir Merrick would welcome the efforts of the Dame and the Hornet's Nest; it is just that it is not very well run. The council squanders vast amounts of money on futile projects such the Olympics brochure and is also run on such a dictatorial basis that Sir Merrick leaves himself open to ridicule. Sir Merrick should also have not just come clean on issues such as the infamous dinner for two in New York but should have reimbursed the money without further ado. As far as I am aware we still do not know beyond doubt who this dinner was with. Sir Merrick sadly is far (far) too long in the job, arrogant and probably will never leave until he is forced out. The man has been in the job for nearly fourteen years (probably effective for the first four years) and there is nothing that the democratic process can do to allow someone else a chance to takeover and introduce some much needed fresh air. I have said for sometime that there really should be a maximum tern of office. As it is this council reminds me so much of Derek Hatton and the Labour run Liverpool Council of the early eighties.
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