You have heard Hornet opine before there are three things that she holds dear, and separately you have read about all three; charitable efforts, diversity, and the fight for what is right.
Any organisation is only as good as the people in it, thats the people running it and the people actually doing the things that make it work. Its a golden rule of business, and one that also applies to the local authorities.
In fact, when it comes to councils it goes alot further as we elect people to serve us (despite their best intentions to assume its the other way round, we elect them so we can serve them). We should have elected members that represent a fair section of borough society.
So, in a borough where the latest census figures show (and lets face it, they are 10 years old already and way out of date - much like most of the furniture in the members room) it shows there are 159,000 or thereabouts people living in RBKC.
Of those, 79,500 are white British, therefore (and it doesnt take a genius to work this one out does it Roundell) thats half the people that live here. Adjust that for population shifts over the last 10 years and it would be fair to say that less than half the people who live in the borough are considered white British.
Now that got Hornet kind of wondering................
Take a look at the 54 councillors the political parties have put forward for you to vote for. Generally speaking, it would be reflective of our boroughs population if at least half considered themselves not to be white British.
So exactly how many Asian Councillors are there, despite them making up more than 10% of the population?
How many Black councillors are there, they make up over 20% of the boroughs population? And how many Muslim, Hindu, Chinese or mixed race councillors are there?
None. Nada.
Niet, Niente.
Niets. Gar nichts (thats one for you Daniel)
Kuch Nahin.
Jack S#@t
It is an utter disgrace that every one of the 54 councillors are white, and the closest any of them would come to understanding what social housing means would be when they read about in the Sunday Telegraph while sipping a glass of Pimms.
Dear Miss H, you are giving yourself away here, some Cllrs actually live in social housing, didn't you know?
ReplyDeleteThe sad thing about the lack of diversity is that it is a vicious circle: prospective candidates who come to Council or Committee meetings see a self-perpetuating clique, feel they do not belong, so withdraw their interest. Who can blame them?
I suggest to set an example for others to follow all the Labour councillors who are white resign and hand their seat over to someone who is not.
ReplyDeleteThe Cheesecake Eater
Cheescake eater
ReplyDeleteThat's as fatuous as suggesting that the ten gay Tory councillors give up their seats for heterosexuals
Herr Kaesekuchenesser
ReplyDeleteWas ist dein lieblings kaesekuchen?
Herr Anonuem... oops, sorry Anonymous 00:39
That may well be, but its hardly a representative reflection on the demographics of the borough. Most councillors, and I suspect all those with positions of influence are not in social housing, probably are in receipt of a healthy income and would never have to experience most issues that many people in parts of this borough have to deal with. Unless of course you mean Labour councillors who also own homes in east London?