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28/01/2010, 3:34 PM Simon Angear Joined on 08/05/2008 Mercury newsroom Posts 197 Time to go it alone? Weston would be better off splitting from North Somerset Council and going it along - that's the claim made by a former senior councillor in the Mercury this week. Ken Lacey, now chairman of weston's Senior Citizens' Forum, has joined the growing chorus of disapproval at Weston's treatment at the hands of North Somerset in recent months, most notably including the withdrawal of hundreds of jobs for an office block in Clevedon. You can read the full article here: http://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/content/twm/news/story.aspx?brand=Westonmercury&category=news&tBrand=westonmercury&tCategory=znews&itemid=WeED27%20Jan%202010%2015%3A43%3A05%3A283 What do you think? A good idea - would you like to see Weston go it alone? A nice idea but a logistical impossibility? Or maybe you think it's nonsense? Mercury News Editor    Report

28/01/2010, 4:34 PM lemonscampi Joined on 07/06/2009 Weston-super-Mare Posts 76 Re: Time to go it alone? let Somerset have us back, drop the North bit! The Mercury on Facebook - see you there too!    Report

28/01/2010, 6:42 PM MJR Joined on 13/08/2008 Kewstoke Posts 226 Re: Time to go it alone? It's nonsense.  Both Weston Town Council and North Somerset Council are run by Conservative party councillors.  If the Ken Lacey could put up some candidates and get enough elected to make the two councils distinct, then I'd reconsider. Another possibility is to bar councillors from holding both offices (which I'm not sure happens much in other parishes in North Somerset) and then I'm sure the Conservatives would find enough candidates from somewhere to contest every seat without double-hatting.  Even if there is no law against it, the local parties could impose a bar if they wanted.    Report

28/01/2010, 10:26 PM Sean Miller Joined on 02/10/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 676 Re: Time to go it alone?  lemonscampi wrote: let Somerset have us back, drop the North bit! In reality we are, but I admit that when it comes to my daughter's 'A' Level options it is rather disconcerting that when you talk to Kings of Wessex in Cheddar about schools all their comparisons are with Bridgwater, Street, Wells etc. and they don't even appear to know that Churchill or Weston exist. Hmmm... one wonders where, really, we are these days.  Prior to the 70s we were part of Somerset, then we became part of something nobody wanted called Avon.  Since the creation of the Unitary Authorities we appear to be in a strange "twilight zone", neither here nor there, with no apparent sense of greater identity. I agree with you, Zara... Weston has ALWAYS been part of Somerset, wherever the government might want to stick us.  Weston has as much in common with North Bristol as Manchester has with York (ho hum! let's talk Wars of the Roses, lol!!!) so why not remove those signs around Burrington "Welcome to Somerset/Welcome to North Somerset" and return to where we were in the 60s? It made sense for generations - why in the last 40 years have we felt it so necessary to meddle?? Sean    Report

29/01/2010, 9:57 AM Mike Bell Joined on 16/08/2007 Posts 39 Re: Time to go it alone? Is it time to go it alone? Weston could not have a unitary authority that only covered Weston town, it would be too small to efficiently manage services like education, social services, highways, etc. So 'home rule' for Weston could only really be achieved if we abandoned the unitary council system (where all services are provided by one principal council) in favour of the district and county system we used to have - and they still have in much of the country. A district-county system could be achieved in two obvious ways : a return to Avon or a return to Somerset. I don't find either particularly attractive propositions. Avon was a disaster and a bureaucratic construct that never served Weston well. But I am not sure that going "back" to Somerset offers the ideal solution either, since Somerset County Council (also run by the Conservatives) would be in charge of many services. If we think Weston gets a poor deal in a district of which we are the largest single town, what would it be like in a county of more than half a million people, with Yeovil, Taunton, Frome and Wells to compete with? My own view is that we need to see two things happen: First, Weston Town Council (our parish council), should be depoliticised. Get rid of the overt party politics and get everyone standing on an independent ticket at that level. This is what happens in almost every other parish/town in North Somerset. That could be coupled with a reduction in the size of Weston Town Council. With 31 councillors it is far too big. Fewer councillors, with Town Council decisions devolved down to ward and neighbourhood committees for Worle, Uphill, etc, would be more effective in my view. The second thing is that Weston needs to punch its weight at North Somerset level. Nearly 40% of the North Somerset Councillors are from Weston, yet with the decisions made at the moment, you wouldn't know it. There should be no question of Weston losing out with that kind of voting power and influence. We need to change some of the councillors and make sure we have got people who are ready to fight our corner. And we need to change the culture at the Town Hall so that all the decisions don't rest in the hands of the seven person Executive, but in principle I think it can be made to work better. But of course on both these it will take some guts from the political parties and a willingness to actually give power away to other people. So don't hold your breath! Mike Bell    Report

29/01/2010, 11:47 AM AllMouthNoTrousers Joined on 21/02/2008 Weston Posts 906 Re: Time to go it alone? Of course it's practically impossible for a small town to stand alone and govern itself - and to a large degree I agree with Mike's assessment of what's needed. Firstly, and most importantly, Weston needs some councillors (of whatever allegiance) with the intelligent, integrity and backbone to fight for the town. Our elected members have been conspicuous by their silence (except for the out-of-touch Peter Bryant who seems unable to close his mouth, yet rarely opens it for the right reasons) during the recent rows over jobs moving to Clevedon. It's a dreadful decision for Weston, yet none of the Weston councillors had the bottle to fight it, instead cowtowing to pressures from senior colleague(s) from the north of the district. So Mike's spot on there. However, I can't totally agree with Mike's views on Weston Town Council. While depoliticising it would be a step in the right direction, I'd say it'd be better still to abolish it. Just what is the point of it? It amounts to little more than an extra level of bureaucracy - yet one with no power, no sway, and an present, no courage or independence, being populated as it is by so many of the spineless North Somerset councillors who did so little to fight for our town. I'm open to persuasion if anyone can tell me what makes Weston Town Council relevant or necessary, but at the moment, I just can't see it...    Report

29/01/2010, 3:38 PM Sean Miller Joined on 02/10/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 676 Re: Time to go it alone? If we abolished Weston Town Council would North Somerset take over responsibility for the Blakehay, and close it?? If so, please keep the Town Council. Ta! Sean    Report

03/02/2010, 12:12 AM Rambler Joined on 02/01/2010 Posts 15 Re: Time to go it alone? Is it right- is it legal ? that some (most ?) Council decisions are taken by only 7 Councillors , the 7 on the Executive Committee - Has it always been like that ?    Report

03/02/2010, 4:17 PM AllMouthNoTrousers Joined on 21/02/2008 Weston Posts 906 Re: Time to go it alone? Is it legal? I think so. Is it right? No.    Report

03/02/2010, 4:40 PM Flyer Joined on 17/09/2008 Posts 620 Re: Time to go it alone? According to Clare Short, that's a bit like our Tony's way of operating.    Report

05/02/2010, 2:36 PM MJR Joined on 13/08/2008 Kewstoke Posts 226 Re: Time to go it alone?  Rambler wrote: Is it right- is it legal ? that some (most ?) Council decisions are taken by only 7 Councillors , the 7 on the Executive Committee - Has it always been like that ? It's legal but not right.  It was introduced by The Local Government Act 2000 (c.22) which introduced a cabinet system.  I think the argument for it was that it would make local government similar to Westminster and more understandable by the general public.  The Act's explanatory notes say "The new arrangements are intended to ensure that decisions can be taken more quickly and efficiently than in the existing committee system, that the individuals or bodies responsible for decision-making can be more readily identified by the public, and that those decision-makers can be held to account in public by overview and scrutiny committees." Basically, our glorious leaders now get to decide first and be held accountable (ha!) afterwards with almost no chance of amendment.    Report

The Weston Merc...GeneralNewsRe: Time to go it alone?

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