The councillors we deserve?
I don't suppose the Annual Report of Cornwall's Standards Board will command acres of newsprint when it's reported to the Cornwall Council annual meeting tomorrow, so here's a digest of the interesting bits:
107 allegations against a total of 77 councillors
66 allegations resulted in no action being taken
Average cost of dealing with each complaint - £150
Total cost of processing complaints - £11,500
18 allegations concerned Cornwall Councillors (out of 123, so 15%)
89 allegations concerned town, parish and city councillors (out of about 1,800, so 5%). These were confined to only 27 town, parish or city councils
The Annual Report states:
"The majority of allegations made have concerned the behaviour of Councillors with failure to treat others with respect and bringing their office or authority into disrepute being the most common. Failure to declare personal and rejudicial interests was the next most reported allegation."
I'm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Devon’s Graham Smith, blogging on news, views and some fresh insights into West Country life, particularly the way government works locally and nationally.
Comment number 1.
At 16th May 2011, Chris Ridgers wrote:15% of 123 Cornwall Councillors makes a good comment. However the more correct figure, of those where action was taken, is presumably less as 62% of the total allegations resulted in no action. Unless, of course, the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ believe that there is no smoke without fire.
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Comment number 2.
At 17th May 2011, Saltashgaz wrote:Graham the people already know what they get from elected local councilors, if they had anything about them, they would already command a high salary and not work in a fish and chip shop as some of these councilors do. It’s not called a greasy pole for no reason and in Cornwall they literally mean greasy pole.
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Comment number 3.
At 17th May 2011, youngcornwall wrote:It is sad when you read of councillors being suspended from office for bullying other councillors, I suppose it is understandable if newly elected councillors have had little or no training in dealing with people.
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Comment number 4.
At 20th May 2011, Ruth Lewarne wrote:I regard the five complaints against me as medals of honour - 4 were in connection with the dreaded Route Partnership, and one arose as a result of my objection to too dense housing,ie. becuase I believe that human beings need a bit of space.
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