Recent reports on Cllr Ian Carr’s proposal to change the composition of the borough council executive have provoked an angry response from the electorate.I and many other councillors have since been contacted by residents, of all political allegiances, opposed not only to the plans but also to the way in which they have been brought forward.
His plan is to remove minority party councillors from the executive “to ensure council decision making is more business-like and transparent.” Decisions will in future be taken by his supporters only. Whatever happened to debate and consensus? He claims he wishes to avoid confrontational meetings. His solution to this appears to be to do away with anyone who disagrees with him. In reality council meetings are business-like until one side seeks to impose its will on the other. The proposals and the way they are presented are a recipe for confrontation.
If this change is needed why did he not propose the change sometime in his last nine years in power? He supposedly has been considering the changes since last year but hasn’t seen the need to consult outside his own group of supporters. He also failed to consult or even advise the electorate who he asked to re-elect him in May 2007. As there was no mention of this major change in the way TVBC is run at the May elections he has no mandate to change the council’s constitution.
He has argued that the change is allowed within the constitution and does not need public consultation. It may be within the letter of the rules. It certainly isn’t within the spirit of those rules. His decision to bring the proposals to council without adequate consultation is unacceptable.
There may be some merit in his proposals but only as part of a review of all aspects of the council’s decision making. We all, as councillors, have an obligation to consult the electorate and govern Test Valley in their best interest. Cllr Carr appears to have forgotten this. Residents can be assured I will remind him of this when the proposals are debated at full council.