A Move Backwards
When Go Folkestone successfully campaigned for the
establishment of a Town Council for Folkestone, the desire for the control of
local issues and regulation was uppermost in our manifesto.
One of the first motions unanimously passed by the newly formed Town Council was
the decision to hold the four annual full meetings in different venues
throughout the town. Thus, Cheriton, Morehall, Central and East Folkestone were
visited, whenever possible, in rotation, The town was identified as a whole
community and we, as its representatives, went to the people in their own
familiar surroundings of church, school and community halls. This also served to
clarify to an extent the difference between the roles and responsibilities of
the Town Council as opposed to the District Council.
Therefore, I was stunned to discover that a proposal had been passed at the end
of 2007, to overturn this practice and to hold the said meetings in Shepway
District Council’s Civic Centre Chamber.
To add to my chagrin, this had happened at the only Town Council meeting that
myself and Ann Berry hadn’t attended as members of the audience.
Upon investigation, I discovered that the decision had been so close that the
Mayor’s casting vote had come into play in order for the motion to be passed.
The question loomed. Had the Town Council’s criteria changed so drastically
since the May elections that half of our elected body no longer deemed it
worthwhile or necessary to take the “business” into the community which they
serve?
When posing this at the January meeting I was told that the Chambers had “a
proper public gallery and hearing loop system” and that this would encourage
more of the public to attend. The eight or so people in the audience did not
seem impressed by this and as attendance is often driven by agenda topics or
bloody-minded interest in local politics the rationale appears to be flimsy.
The hearing loop advantage is a logical pro-argument, however, I believe the
need to be seen and almost heard in the community is paramount.
Perhaps the formal, somewhat intimidating surroundings of the Chamber add to the
imagined glamour and importance of being a Councillor and as exactly half of the
eighteen Town Council Members are also District Council Members, they must feel
very much at home within this political arena.
This, in itself, is not a healthy situation. Some are able to be “twin hatted”
and uphold the interests of out town. Others are not so adept at combining the
occasionally conflicting workload.
Go Folkestone believes that the Town Council should be served by non-party
political representatives who altruistically would work together with a common
aim of improving our town. We had achieved this at the end of our three year
office with members of each group sitting comfortably next to whomever and
voting, not en block, but with a common cause of “what is right for Folkestone”.
The retrograde move to the Civic Centre is the tip of the iceberg. Now, with one
group sitting as a party, voting politically and being “whipped” into their
decisions by their leader, the chaos that has been prevalent within the District
Council will undoubtedly be unleashed into our hard fought for Town Council.
I was once accused of being “naďve” by the now ex-Councillor John Stockham. I
argued my case in the press that this mainly harmonious, non-politically driven
scenario is possible. It was all too briefly the case, but the people of
Folkestone voted and now that situation is no longer.
I sincerely hope that I am wrong and will gladly return to print to retract my
views if so. In the meantime, my apologies to Mr Stockham for my ingenuous
optimism, which although shaken will
Undoubtedly respond to the old adage “Hope springs eternal”.
Lynne Smith
Article from Go Folkestone Newsletter March 2008
