By Isle of Wight Observer
I feel great shame as freedom of speech was effectively swept aside on Wednesday night, when twenty councillors voted to reject a motion asking for a full public consultation about the introduction of a new committee system as the basis for running the Isle of Wight Council.
Additionally, some, including Cllr Geoff Brodie, who wrote about the proposed system in last week’s IW Observer, attempted to talk the motion out of time, as it was close to the end of the meeting, and prevent any vote even taking place! You may have watched the proceedings on YouTube, and seen the ridiculous behaviour of some of those trying to block the vote from taking place.
The council chamber, and, with it, democracy on the Island, descended into chaos. Legal advice was given that the decision to continue with the vote was correct, but still the disruptive behaviour continued, although at least the vote was able to be concluded.
I cannot believe that the majority of councillors voted against the rights of our community to be properly informed about the implementation of a new system of running the Council, which is one of the most fundamental changes to democratic process here in the last 20 years.
It beggars belief that those who earlier in the evening argued for the system as a more democratic way of running the Council, then denied the public any involvement in the process.
The statements that appeared in last week’s paper promising public consultation must now be taken with a very large pinch of salt. The actions of those promoting the change have been exposed as entirely self-serving. Otherwise why the determination to deny the public a say in things?
That said, at this moment in time it is difficult to know what meaningful consultation could take place. We still do not have costings for the proposed change, and much of the detail about the operation and implementation of a committee system will not be available until after the currently proposed date for a decision on May 1. Perhaps April would be a more appropriate date!
The rejected proposal was to consult when all that information is available, so not only can the public be involved, but be involved in a meaningful way. We plainly saw, on Wednesday, that neither of these possibilities is in the interests of those pushing for this change.
I am sad that Wednesday night exposed what a number of us had previously feared, namely that this process is about political ambition and behind the scenes power games, which have no regard to the public and the delicate state of our public finances.
Councillor Brodie’s claim that the new system will have ‘zero financial impact’ is simply wrong. The services of external consultants have already been engaged – we have not been told the cost – and urgent legal advice, sought when there was attempt to push the change forward in January, cost the Council £10,000, to be told that the attempt was illegal.
The proposal is onerous. It is draining resources, including staff, away from public services at a time of ongoing austerity, when council tax is increasing and vital services are being cutback. I simply cannot see how the greater public good is being served by this. Constitutional changes like this are better considered when we can afford the time and money. Again, everything points to those pursuing this change in the way they are going about it, as doing so for reasons of power and personal ambition.
Wednesday night’s vote sought to do away with the right for our Island people to be properly informed, involved or engaged in any meaningful public debate. If that is the way in which people are pursuing the proposed change, what on earth will the system they are seeking to bring in be like?
