Council's priorities aren't secret - they're confidential!

Definition of secret: not known or seen or not meant to be known or seen by others. Definition of confidential: intended to be kept secret.  [Oxford Dictionaries online] 

Who does Cllr Gilbey think he's kidding? 

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Canterbury City Council is one of the most democratic local authorities in the country, claims leader John Gilbey. He hit out after the Kentish Gazette reported that the council had drawn up a league table of its 71 service areas and ranked them in order of importance but refused to reveal it.

Cllr Gilbey denies the council is guilty of secrecy. He told last Thursday's meeting of the ruling Conservative executive: 

"Some of these documents are kept confidential for many reasons and are looked at very carefully.  I think this is one of the most democratic councils we have, I honestly believe that.  That is why I don't take kindly to people inventing stories."

Last week it emerged that the league table is a key document as the council prepares for the 2014/15 budget. It is facing a cut of 50% in income by 2017 and scored each service according to importance and against the pledges in its corporate plan.

The Marlowe Theatre was fifth in the table and refuse collection came 29th, but none of the other positions are known and some are almost certainly facing the axe.

The council claims it will make the league table public next month when the proposed budget for next year is published.  But Cllr Alex Perkins, leader of the council's opposition Lib  Dem group, is demanding it is released now.  He said:

"The Gazette is absolutely right and deserves praise for bringing the council's appalling secrecy to everyone's attention.  There is absolutely no reasonable justification for the current leader of the council to keep the council budget formation process confidential.  And the Gazette has certainly not invented any of this as John Gilbey has claimed. 

The current leader and a tiny handful of Conservative councillors keep jealous control of all the budget information declaring it 'confidential' and refusing to share it even with their own backbenchers, let alone opposition councillors or the public.  It's completely unacceptable - it's your money after all."

Kingsmead Field campaigner Sian Pettman said:

"There's a worrying disconnect between Cllr Gilbey's perception of democracy and that of many of the district's residents.  His authoritarian style of leadership is ill-suited to the 21st century."

University of Kent Emeritus Professor of moral philosophy Richard Norman added:

"If Cllr Gilbey thinks that this is one of the most democratic councils, he needs to be aware that there are a great many people in Canterbury who don't see it that way."

The council will begin its consultation on the budget in November and will look to approve it in February.

HB Gazette 17th October 2013

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Council Priorities: where will the axe fall?

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The Council's priorities. Theirs, not ours.

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Council's priorities not secret, not confidential, just rubbish

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Council's priorities aren't secret - they're confidential!

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Our Council's secret priorities

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Local Plan: housing target criticised by residents in Council meeting

Critics of the city council's vision for the Canterbury district queued up to attack the  authority.

Each was given a three-minute platform in the chamber to voice their opinions on the draft Local Plan - with the issue of 15,600 new homes dominating the  agenda. Most came from south Canterbury, where up to 4,000 homes are planned for farmland and open space.

Speaker Malcolm Harris told councillors:

"Not since the American Declaration of Independence has a single document galvanised so many people in a common purpose. We have got to rid ourselves of this absurd plan. There is no justification for this  increase in house building.

Clive Church, of the South Canterbury Alliance, said:

"This plan is wrong in principle and will be resisted at every stage of the  process."

Michael Butler, of Old Dover Road, fears for the future of the road network in the city if the homes are developed. He said:

"These houses will create complete gridlock in the Old and New Dover Roads. They will funnel into the partial ring road we have. This may well mean more traffic, more gridlock and a potential traffic disaster. The city of Canterbury is in peril."

Another speaker with concerns over the roads was Richard Cook, who estimates 15,000 new homes will bring 20,000 more cars.

Dick Eburne, a tireless campaigner from Herne Bay, asked:

"Where is the infrastructure for all these new homes? Let's get the draft plan out there for consultation so we can pull it to pieces."

Prof Richard Norman, a philosophy lecturer from St Michael's Place, adopted a more balanced approach, saying:

"There are a lot of good things in this draft plan such as limiting houses in multi-occupancy and the draft masterplan for the universities.  But there will be deep concerns about the ambitious target of 15,600 dwellings, which will have an impact on the environment and erode the green gaps."

The main proposals

• 4,000 homes in south Canterbury
• 1,000 homes in Sturry and Broad Oak
• 800 homes behind the existing Hersden estate
• 1,000 homes in Hillborough, Herne Bay
• 800 homes at Strode Farm, Herne Bay and a new relief road for Herne
• 600 homes in Greenhill
• 400 homes in Herne Bay Golf Club
• 400 homes off the Thanet Way at Whitstable and an extension to the Duncan Down public space
• The closure of Sturry level crossing and the building of a new road re-routing traffic
• An extension of the University of Kent campus to the north of the site to allow future expansion
• A possible new relief road linking Sturry Road with Littlebourne Road through the Howe Barracks land

HB Gazette 6th Jun 2013