The ramifications of Thanet Council’s UKIP split are
bouncing around local social media.
My own take would be the crux of the problem is an endemic
failure in local democracy
The idea of councillors is that they should be community
representatives that represent local people at a local level. The reality is
that most local people don’t know the local councillors they have voted for.
When it comes to election promises I would think that it is pretty obvious that anyone who hasn't been a councillor before, will lack the experience to know what they can or can't achieve as a councillor, or what the council can achieve.
Here in thanet we had new UKIP administration made up almost entirely of people who had never been councillors before, now we seem to have a fragmented mess.
It's an interesting reflection on what has gone wrong that most people have voted to have the decision making taken away from the people most people voted for.
I would say that if you voted UKIP in the local council elections because you wanted to come out of the EU, something that the local council have no say in, then you are part of the problem.
The same goes for saving the airport, if you voted for the party you thought could cpo the Manston site and start and airport, well it just isn't something that a local council can achieve unless the either have massive funds or can prove that they have a partner with massive funds that are legitimately sourced and available to the council.
Realistically if people wanted to save the airport then the first stage would have been to petition the council to hold a public consultation putting up the options and getting the opinions of the electorate and we haven't reached that stage so far.
Aso realistically Kent County Council and not the small Thanet District Council, where it seems new members are slowly beginning to realise the council's limitations.
Hi Michael, yes many of the UKIP councillors were/are first timers but they have a National political party behind them. Seeing as Thanet was their only council, it beggars belief that they didn't give the new council advice and support. Seeing as many in UKIP have been MEPS, MPS and councillors before they left their various posts from the other political parties they once belonged to. Add to that, Chris Wells directorial style. It's really a surprise they've lasted as long as they have. Let's not forget why they were able to form a council. The promises they made prior to the election. Which they haven't kept. Along with every other party elected in Thanet in the past. So is it any surprise there's voter apathy, mistrust and the feeling that it doesn't matter whose in charge they don't seem to care for anybody but the small group that surrounds them!
ReplyDeleteSpanner any suggestions for the next leader of the ocuncil
ReplyDelete