I attended Wednesday night’s meeting of the JPC, where the agenda included an item of interest to me, ‘To discuss arrangements regarding the proposed cattle market development and Councillor involvement’. This was my first attendance at a JPC meeting for some time and it proved to be an interesting, enlightening and entertaining experience. Having made a statement regarding the request for a parish meeting I stayed for the remainder of the meeting.
Having argued that there was no reason to discuss the exhibition proposals because there was no application, George Matheou went on to launch an attack on Cllr Leech for breaching ‘council rules’ by assisting residents to organise the Town Meeting. There was no elaboration on these’ council rules’. Cllr Matheou was not at the Town Meeting and he also was probably unaware that Cllr Leech did not speak at the Town Meeting.
Ironically there was no criticism of Cllr Haycock or Cllr Hadley who also attended the meeting and did speak. Cllr Matheou’s accusations violate the Human Rights Act 1998 and Cllr Leech reminded him that similar legislation applied in his native Greece. It was accepted by the chairman and confirmed by the parish clerk that the residents had an absolute right to hold a Town Meeting. it was therefore a legally constituted meeting and provided residents with the opportunity to effectively update their preferences in the ‘Village Design Statement’.
Cllr Matheou recommended that a working party should be set up to formulate an approach to the anticipated planning application, to be chaired by himself. The chairman stated repeatedly that such a working group could not be formed by the JPC until the planning application was submitted to Stratford District Council. Cllr Matheou continued to press the point but, to the chairman’s great credit, he did eventually succeed in silencing Cllr Matheou.
Councillor Matheou then proposed a vote of no confidence in Cllr Leech. There was a long silence and it appeared that no councillor would second the motion until, to the obvious relief of the chairman, his wife Cllr Carsina Goodman came to the rescue and, seconded the proposal. 75% of councillors did not support the proposition. After the vote of 3 to 2 in favour, Cllr Matheou told Cllr Bill Leech that he should resign. In an act that was pure theatre, Bill Leech turned to the residents and asked them if they want him to resign. There was an immediate and almost universal roar from residents of “No”.
During the previous week the Town Meeting, chaired by Mike Willmott, had demonstrated a good example of David Cameron’s Big Society in action. It had contrasted sharply with the ‘dysfunctional JPC meetings’ chaired by Cllr Les Goodman. Chairmen must be impartial and inclusive and, of course, understand the correct procedures, including the Human Rights Act. The JPC chairman’s bias is clearly illustrated by the form in which he addresses individual councillors, referring to some by their first name and those with whom he does not agree only as ‘Councillor’.
There was a confusing and humiliating scene at the end of the meeting under an agenda item ‘To consider complaint from resident regarding Cllr Leech requested by the Chairman’. The item was due to be held in private session and, after an objection, the Clerk had to advise the Chairman of the correct procedure for implementing a secret session. The item was in fact withdrawn just before it was due to be discussed. Although the chairman did not give a clear reason for the withdrawal, it appeared that it was an unsubstantiated verbal complaint and should not have been on the Agenda.
All together a most entertaining evening and well worth turning out for despite the inclement weather. I shall certainly attend again.
John Tristram - Henley NEWS Online - 26th August 2010
No comments:
Post a Comment