The March Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council meeting was in the Roysse Room rather than the Council Chamber – possibly because Reverend Paul Smith took prayers at the start and his wheel chair doesn’t go up stairs. The town council is now half way through its four year term and has settled down to working together.
In the section where councillors propose motions under Standing Order 8, there were 4 motions proposed:
1. There was a proposal by Conservatives that the Town Council arranges a Flood Fair where the EA and other agencies can demonstrate flood protection equipment like flood gates. Agreed by all.
2. There was a proposal by Lib Dems to call on the County Council to make swifter progress on the Flood Risk Management Document for the Thames Valley. After a Conservative amendment, to also add the Environment Agency (EA), it was voted in unanimously.
3. There was a proposal by Lib Dems to call on the District council to make swifter progress with its local housing supply plan. Again agreed unanimously after a Conservative amendment.
4. There was a proposal by Conservatives that the plaque put up to commemorate The Queen opening the museum in 1956 be moved so it does not get hidden behind the new doors. Agreed by all.
It was mentioned by one Councillor and an officer that there was a mystery surrounding the disappearance of the wreaths from the war memorial. Normally they are all left for a few weeks, and the one from the Royal British Legion is left for most of the year. It turned out not to be such a mystery. It had been very windy and the wreathes were being blown all over the place and the British Legion took them away for safe keeping.
The one area where there was disagreement was who should be the next Mayor. The Conservatives proposed, the Deputy Mayor, Andrew Todd. The Lib Dems stuck to their guns and proposed Samantha Bowring for the third year running. There was only one nomination for Deputy Mayor: Angela Lawrence, an independent. May 8th is Mayor Making.
We now have a date for the White Horse (Abingdon on Thames, Phab Club, annual Mayors Challenge..in our latest programme. Had our committee meeting yesterday.
Col.
Club secretary……
If the Conservatives plead (as they did last time) that they have a mandate and so should elect a Mayor from their party, they demonstrate that they do not understand the nature of the Mayoralty, which is to represent all the citizens of the Borough and to be above the hurly-burly of party politics. I argued this case on this blog last year; Iain very politely agreed to differ. I hope this year that we may see a wider comprehension of the Mayor’s role. To reduce it to the sitting party’s interest set a narrow and partisan precedent which should be resisted at all costs.
It would be nice to see the next Mayor chosen on the basis of seniority. Cllr Todd has had 2 years experience on the council – I believe that Cllr Bowring has had 6 years?
Admittedly Cllr Todd has been deputy mayor for the past year – but as Cllr Monica Lovatt has been such a hardworking and dedicated Mayor, I fear that he has not had the opportunity to gain much experience.
If you care so much about it maybe you should stand for election rather than harping on from the sidelines.
Harping on about it is what democracy means!
My greek’s somewhat limited but I’m pretty sure you’re wrong Paul 🙂
Hi Millihelen, I would have answered yesterday only I was attending the Didcot Civic Ball on behalf of the Mayor. In the 2 years I have been on the Town Council and the 15 years I have lived here, I have gained the experience required to be its mayor, part of which has been gained attending many committees and chairing one on the smaller ones. If I did not believe I could do the job, I would not stand. Seniority should is not the only consideration, ask Wantage Town Council. Like Cllr Bowring I do work full time so it will be a challenge, but if selected, I promise to represent you and the rest of the town to the absolute best of my ability.
Well, my Greek is pretty good: demos = people; kratein = running the show. Every citizen has a right to express their view even if they have other commitments which preclude their being on the Council.
And the Council is accountable to the citizens – not to their political party. That can be easily forgotten when elected representative begin to talk about having a mandate. Most elections result in compromises and it would be good to see that spirit prevailing in the appointment of the new mayor.
That’s what I thought Paul – so no mention of harping – harpios?
I fully agree with you about being accountable to the people – the challenge is in assessing what the will of the people is.
My belief is that in 2011 when I stood for the council a few people who know me voted for me personally and the majority who voted for me voted because I stood under a conservative banner. As such I think they were saying they wanted a conservative administration. As such I will continue to act to preserve that. As we discussed last year Paul – the mayor has two roles – one is as the civic representative of the town which is apolotical. Knowing all 20 members of the council I am sure each of us would do that in a non-partisan way. The second is as chairman of the council – in this role they hold a casting vote and in a finely balanced council like ours have the ability to sway decisions between the parties. In many things this power is not that significant, but there are a few occassions when the groups in council have differing views and this becomes important.
I appreciate you may not agree Paul, but I think it is important that you as a member of the demos understand why I choose to vote in the way I do.
Iain is quite correct that the Conservatives won a majority of the seats on the Town Council and that they therefore have the right to form the administration of the Council.
Where I differ from his view is that I don’t believe the role of chairing council meetings is part and parcel of the administration. In contrast the chair of the council meeting should be impartial.
As the Conservatives hold a majority of the seats, if they all vote for a proposal it will go through with a majority anyway. If a Lib Dem councillor is in the chair then it would usually go through by 11 votes to 8 or 9.
That’s why the majority parties on other local councils, including Didcot Town Council and Oxford City Council, have happily continued to choose their Mayors in the traditional, non-partisan way.
Should declare my interest – Cllr. Samantha Bowring is my better half!
So, Iain, given (on your account) that the mayor has two functions, why does the party political issue (having the casting vote) outweigh in your voting consideration more the primary task of representing the people?
I have been chairman of a number of groups in the past. When – rarely – I have had exercised a casting vote, I have followed the constitutional principle that the Chair should not vote for change. If the case has not been made in the primary vote sufficient to change things, the status quo should remain. This may be frustrating for those who want change (among whom may be the person in the Chair), but it does ensure that decisions are made by a true majority.
What the casting vote should not do is be used as a fail-safe mechanism. That is close to abuse of process.
Neil – I think you are aware that in the current unfortunate situation where a conservative member is incapacitated due to a stroke the vote is 10 conservator: 10 non-conservative
Paul – that is one view of the role of the chair. One could equally take the view that after a period of 16 years of liberal rule, when the electorate voted for conservatives in11 seats (all previously held by liberals) and labour in another one that perhaps they wanted something different.
I understand your view – I just don’t agree with it.
My view is based on what is good for the whole; yours appears to be based on a party political view. I do not expect you to agree!
Well the bit about the role of the mayor is based on what’s written in the standing orders – which were in place long before I was elected.
I’ve explained my voting rationale clearly I believe – if you don’t agree there are two bi- elections you can stand in next month Paul – it is always good for more people to stand and offer their time to the community.and I’m sure you would be a welcome addition
Not quite next month – sorry – actually 2nd May
Paul’s view is based on a warped view of what tradition and The Mayor, is. The idea that The Mayor of a town cannot or should not be political is ludicrous. Why would you vote for a particular party one way or another, to have them give away the Mayoralty to another party?
Politics of the insane. Or the LibDems.
Politics of the courteous.