YOUR City, YOUR Council 13th July Meeting

Your City - Your Council 13th July

Morag Irving reports....



Before I regale you with all the daring do’s or insense you with news of our elected Councillors please let me share the meaning behind my simple headline above.

I have noticed that some councillors are always too ready to chair, vice chair or become involved in major high visibility public projects. Councillors are also equally invited to be involved with simple one hourly meetings once a month, that are not so high visibility.

Last month only 3 out of 57 (I repeat three out of fifty seven) of Peterborough’s councillors bothered to attend a simple one hour meeting.

The meeting albeit just one hour of our busy councillors time, concerns the 112 children taken into care by this City, and these crucial meetings which shape and direct a potentially 'damaged' childs development are sometimes attended by the children who have nowhere to turn and look to the City as their Guardian and mentor during their formative years.

Next time your local councillor, however worthy, next pops up at a public meeting, chairing, advising, or has a publicity photo specially taken or records a soundbite for local telly, it may be prudent to ask them a simple question. What they were doing for just one hour, that was more important than attending the meeting that will shape the future of Peterboroughs' children in care ?

Leaving that thought with you, I turn to the Council Meeting reported as I see it...

A real bumper night at the full Council meeting, as is normal, I have had to abbreviate a long meeting, but course you can contact me if you would like some more information. The new Mayor struggling to keep order at times and threatening one councillor with immediate removal by the Beadle.......

All Stanground Councillors were in attendance, Cllr. Fran Benton from neighbouring Fletten & Woodston sent apologies, Fran’s attendance figure at the moment stands at 60%.

New appointed Mr. Mayor Paula Thacker announced she has reluctantly dropped ‘Help for Heros’ as one of her two nominated charities as no local co-ordinator could be found, so she is replacing this with the Women’s branch of the Royal British Legion.

The mortgage scheme has been approved by council. A few questions were asked about this, including one of how long someone should be resident in the City of Peterborough before meeting the requirement for asssistance.

The scheme will cost an initial £1 million. It seeks to make up the deposit of first time buyers and it is hoped will regenerate the housing market. In its' first year it hopes to help 50 people.

A petition by 35 residents of Flatten Avenue requesting better parking was presented to council by Cllr Lee (I seriously wonder how this will sit with the new plan for the Football Stadium we reported on earlier? The plan you will recall has even fewer parking spaces then the existing stadium).

Questions were then asked about the future of Stanground Fire Station. Various plans are being investigated, including having the station open only during daylight hours. Consultations are taking place with the fire unions. Another scheme proposed involves moving equipment from Dogsthorpe to Stanground.

I was sad to hear lots of questions will be answered by letter from Councillor to Councillor as this seems at odds with the idea of open government. A letter denies the public the chance to hear the answer. With this in my mind I have specifically asked for clarification on a few points raised and will report back to you in due course.

A very long meeting in a few paragraphs but again if I can help or clarify please contact me.


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