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| Moylan: Smug 'know all' |
The Cabinet system of local government administration is deeply flawed.
It puts far too much power in the hands of a small group of ‘mates’ chosen not always for the best of motives.
There was never a good reason to switch from the old and well-tested committee system; after all, it worked well for decades.
One of its great advantages of the Committee System is that it allowed the leadership to draw upon a huge array of talent and expertise: it also overcame the ‘cabal’ effect of the Cabinet system.
This is not particularly an attack on K&C.
The Dame tells her Lib Dem and Labour friends they too would be tempted to ride roughshod over residents had they untrammeled control over a council.
One of the other great advantages of the old system was the flourishing of independent candidates: men and women who refused to be whipped.
They were often strong characters who asked the difficult questions: an excellent counterweight in a politically monopolistic council.
Let’s start a debate about the efficacy of the Cabinet system and the role of the Independent councillor.
At the same time let’s also focus on bringing home to K&C some of the many services we have outsourced during the Tri-Borough debacle.
The circumstances surrounding the still unfolding tragedy of the Grenfell Tower demonstrate at least wilful negligence on the part of RBKC. Certain councillors need to seriously consider their positions and resign.
ReplyDeleteA public enquiry into the events will undoubtedly be opened and those found culpable held to account.
The Conservatives in K&C have clearly lost their way. Organisation change, replacing the Cabinet system with the tried and tested Committee system, could be one way to revitalise Hornton Street.
ReplyDeleteSomething is desperately needed. Over to you, Cllr NickPaget-Brown
Under a Committee system it is very unlikely that Cllrs Warwick, Fielding-Mellen, Weale and (E) Campbell would ever have happened.
ReplyDeleteThis is not about one council system rather than another. For decades RBKC has not bothered to hide how much it despises "poor" people. This is the issue. While the poor die, the wealthy continue having their basement swimming pools dug.
ReplyDeleteAgree whole heartedly, but if it is of any consolation Council don't listen to any of the residents.
DeleteA public enquiry is a way of shutting residents out while the gvt keep control.
ReplyDeleteAn inquest is the only way forward.
Everything else will be a whitewash, and this disgusting gvt know it. Their calculating, even as bodies are still smoking in the building, is beyond psychopathic.
That's right 00.46. Jeremy Corbyn MP told a Black Guy at Grenfell Tower yesterday, "Emma is your MP, she will speak out on behalf of this community." It is a pity that she did not resign from the TMO Board to speak out loudly on behalf of the oppressed before the Grenfell House Tragedy. She sat on that TMO Board for years and played the collective responsibility game exactly as expected.
ReplyDeleteThere have been plenty of comments on the Hornet over the years about the TMO Board for everyone to know by now that it is little more than a sham. A pretty façade that has allowed the Council to claim that residents have some meaningful involvement in the management of their homes, when they clearly don't.
DeleteThe TMO is actually run by a small group of so-called professionals being paid nice six-figure salaries and provided with handsome public sector pensions. By their actions over the years these people clearly consider the opinions of those who live in the Council's housing irrelevant and a nuisance. They have a lot to answer for.
Try and find an ounce of decorum, 08:25.
DeleteSo 12.00 telling the truth and asking valid questions shows a lack of decorum?
DeleteThink before you write. Emma Dent Coad was always sneering at Eddie Daffern when she was on the TMO.
Possibly because Eddie has the tact of a thermonuclear weapon?
DeleteThe TMO Board really is a sham. Just ask any of the residents who have served on it over the years and tried to make a difference - they all got kicked out as soon as practically possible by any means possible. Those that manage to stay on are compliant, either because they don't know better or because they don't care.
DeleteThe Councillors on the Board are in a very similar position. Cllr. Judith Blakeman has now been quoted in the press as saying that having reported the concerns of the residents of Grenfell Tower on nineteen separate occasions the TMO's response was not to try and address them but to try and have her removed. Which means the TMO try to treat Councillor board members exactly the same as they treat the resident board members: "behave or be gone".
Has anyone ever considered the alternative of the residents of Towers like Grenfell setting up their own management committee and managing their own affairs? Collecting service charges, keeping accounts, hiring contractors for maintenance, generally looking after their own lives?
ReplyDeleteThis is the best possible way forward. When people are given responsibility they generally acquit themselves excellently.
DeleteAlso, they will always be able to draw on help from other sites
Yes, but that's not what the Council want.
DeleteThe Council have made it clear that they want a "one size fits all" management arrangement where they can call the shots without appearing to do so.
The borough-wide TMO does that; a dozen plus estate-based resident-owned-and-led management companies would not. And when residents have tried to set them up they've always been shafted by the Council.
Now is the time to do it.
DeleteThe TMO should be disbanded and the services be brought back in house to the council.
ReplyDelete