HearFromYourMP

This is a service that encourages your MP to talk with you about things they think are important, and it gives you a chance to talk back. It’s a simple, low-effort way of keeping tabs on your MP’s interests - HearFromYouMP

You just enter your details, and you're added to a queue of other people in your constituency. When enough have signed up, your MP will get sent an email which will say “25 of your constituents would like to hear what you’re up to. Hit reply to let them know”.

If they don’t reply, nothing will happen, until your MP gets a further email which says there are now 50, then 75, 100, 150 — until it is nonsensical not to reply and start talking... When your MP sends you mail it won’t be one-way spam, and it won’t be an inbox-filling free-for-all. Instead, each email comes with a link at the bottom, which takes you straight to a web page containing a copy of the email your MP wrote, along with any comments by other constituents. To leave your thoughts, you just enter your text and hit enter. There’s no tiresome login — you can just start talking about what they’ve said. Safe, easy and democratic.

HearFromYourMP

Wall of silence

The council taxpayers of Herne Bay have just received a reassuring message from the city council. Apparently the town’s museum is not being closed after all - it just will not be open to members of the public! Talk about semantic gibberish!

As a concerned council taxpayer, I wrote to some 16 Conservative Canterbury city councillors in early December, expressing my opposition to the proposal to close the Herne Bay Museum as part of the 2010/11 budget cuts. I asked the councillors concerned to consider alternative methods of making the necessary savings and urged those representing the town to put the interests of the community before those of their political party.

Out of all those councillors contacted, only two - Ann Taylor and Peter Vickery-Jones - have had the decency to come back to me on this matter. The remaining 14 have not even deigned to acknowledge receipt of my correspondence! They might not agree with my sentiments concerning Herne Bay Museum, but surely common courtesy dictates some sort of response - if only to say that my comments would be given further consideration.

I am not a political animal and, accordingly have no particular party axe to grind. I deliberately targeted the Conservatives for the simple reason that they are currently the controlling party on the city council and, as such, form the executive which dictates policy. As a retired local government officer who served a number of local authorities in Kent for more then 30 years, I have never had a particularly high opinion of elected members in general. Some are hard-working and do have the best interests of their local community in mind, but many would appear to be there only for their own personal egos.

Their failure to reply to correspondence would only seem to indicate their complete unwillingness to discuss matters with concerned council taxpayers and has most certainly done nothing to enhance my opinion of them. For most people, pursuing a sporting interest, hobby or pastime costs money Councillors have chosen their particular pastime as being local politics. Why should other members of the community subsidise them in the pursuit of this chosen hobby?

Are the council taxpayers of Canterbury City Council getting value for money for the majority of their elected representatives? Council leader Cllr John Gilbey has been quoted in the local Press as being of the opinion that the number of elected members sitting on the Canterbury City Council is excessive and I, for one, fully agree.

An immediate reduction by say some 20 members (with the resultant reduction in associated allowances and expenses) would save council taxpayers somewhere between £100,000 and £150,000 per annum - a not inconsiderable amount and certainly much more than the projected annual savings on the whole of the city’s museum services budget.

I wrote to chief executive Colin Carmichael more than two weeks ago expressing my frustration at having received no response from city councillors. To date I have not received any response from him either on this matter! Have other readers encountered a similar wall of silence from Canterbury City Council?

John Fishpool, Herne Bay
HB Gazette letters, 4th Feb 2010

Herne Bay councillor charged with corruption

Canterbury city councillor Roger Matthews has been charged with corruption.  The 57-year-old, who represents Greenhill and Eddington ward in Herne Bay, has also been suspended from the Liberal Democrat Group following the shock news.  He is due to appear before magistrates on Thursday, March 26 alongside Herne Bay Golf Club owner Julian Brealy. Matthews said he plans to plead not guilty and will "have his day before judge and jury" at crown court.  

The father-of-two, who has lost his seat on the planning committee as a result of the charge, was arrested last July following an early-morning raid on his home in Beltinge Road.  Both Matthews and 50-year-old Brealy, who lives in Mandarin Lane, Herne Bay, were charged under the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889, which relates to the acceptance of gifts and hospitality by councillors.  Speaking outside a council meeting just hours after leaving the police station on Tuesday, Matthews told of his "complete surprise" at being charged.  He said:

"I don't believe I've done anything wrong. I was honestly surprised to be charged and will clear my name in court. I will be pleading my innocence so the case will go to crown court where QCs and barristers will inevitably be involved. Unfortunately the people picking up the bill will be the state. The only people making money out of this are those in the legal profession."

Although not disclosing the exact allegation he faces, self-employed property manager Matthews confirmed it relates to his time on the planning committee. He said:

"I have never favoured anyone in a planning decision and never would. Some people may not be happy with some decision and that's when they start stirring the mud - and mud sticks. I'm not a dishonest man. I may bend at times, but I'm not dishonest. Loads of people have been interviewed by police, both councillors and former councillors. I haven't kept a low-profile . When you start sticking your head above the council parapet people start shooting at you. There are 15 or so members on the planning committee so I don't see how one man's vote or views can affect a decision. To the police I'm just a feather in their cap."

Matthews was elected as a councillor for Herne and Broomfield in 1995 and again in 1999. In 2003 he was elected to represent Greenhill and Eddington after Herne and Broomfield was split in two.  As a result of his suspension from the Liberal Democrat Group, Matthews has lost his seats on the planning, audit and overview and scrutiny committees.  They are due to be reallocated at a council meeting on Thursday, March 19.  Matthews can still represent his ward at full council and Herne Bay member's meetings, but only as an independent councillor.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Alex Perkins said:

"While Cllr Matthews can, if he wishes, remain a city councillor, henceforth he is not and cannot describe himself as a Liberal Democrat and no longer speaks for or represents the Liberal Democrats. He will now face a court to explain his actions and it would therefore be quite wrong for me to make any comment other than to reiterate that Roger has been suspended from the Liberal Democrat Group and from the party. I would urge everyone to remember that being charged with an offence is not the same as being found guilty of one."

Leader of the council Cllr John Gilbey said:

"It is most unfortunate that it has come to this. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. When I've seen Roger over the last few months he has seemed more and more confident, as if the whole thing had blown over or he knew something we didn't. It is my understanding that a lot of people were talked to by police but I wasn't personally interviewed. Roger is entitled to his day in court - and in this country we pride ourselves that anyone charged is innocent until proven guilty."

Brealy, the managing director of Hollamby Estates, Heron Helicopters and Herne Bay Golf Club, spent £1.5 million last year building lagoons to cut the risk of flooding in Herne Bay.  He will appear alongside Matthews at Maidstone Magistrates Court on March 26.  The Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889 states:

• The acceptance of gifts and/or hospitality by councillors and staff must be treated with extreme caution.
• On each occasion a judgement must be made between causing offence by refusal and risking improper conduct by acceptance.
• Gifts offered to a councillor or to staff should be declined if they know or suspect the giver has, or seeks business, with the council.

thisiskent 11th Mar 2009

A golden opportunity missed

Disappointing. Unsurprising. Recoverable.

CCC voted down the opportunity to flaunt themselves as 21st century cyber-starlets (see Radio Sausage). The world is a marginally less glitzy place as a result.

More to the point, they voted down the opportunity to let their constituents see them in action. Internet access is becoming much more widespread, and is almost universal among the 'young' (anyone who runs for a bus). These are the very people who must be engaged in the democratic process if we are to stand the slightest chance of not going down the constitutional toilet, as a district, a county and a nation.

In the hope it will make some difference, I am emailing ALL the Councillors a link to the Radio Sausage post, in which I offer to prop up Western democracy single-handed. With luck, we may get some interesting and productive comments.

Councillors: I mean it. I am very worried that you have become so enmeshed in process, procedure and petty politics that you have lost sight of your purpose. You must actively seek out, and then represent, the wishes of your constituents. This takes involvement and commitment from everyone. There is an absolute need for widespread involvement in a vibrant and transparent local democracy.

You won't earmark a few tens (or hundreds?) of pounds to increase accessibility and participation. Out of a budget of millions. That is shameful.

Radio Sausage

A few ounces of reconstituted tree, shaped into a local freesheet, thump to the floor. The crisp metal edge of the letterbox snaps back into place, briefly trapping a small fleshy obstruction. The pain-numbed child continues its paper round.

This is what passes for effective communication in 21st century Kent.

But things are looking up: I read in that very freesheet that one of our elected representatives (Cllr Perkins) seems to have 'the vision thing' (article). He has proposed that Council meetings be recorded and broadcast on the internet, arguing this would encourage greater engagement in local politics - I approve. Anyone who actually gives a toss could listen live, or any time later that suits them. They wouldn't have to get themselves to whichever Council meeting place at whatever (more or less inconvenient) time of day.

Cllr Perkins accurately predicted that other Councillors would oppose the idea. Cllr Gilbey is quoted as saying  

"My personal view is that I wouldn't want to give the opportunity for grandstanding in front of cameras or recorders."

I may be warming to Cllr Gilbey's sense of humour: the idea that the mere presence of a microphone or webcam would transform Council into a casting session for Chicago! just makes me chuckle. On my one exposure to Council I observed:

• very little excessive or unnecessary expenditure of effort
• peer and group pressure to conform
• many conventions and procedures to curtail or restrict Councillor participation
• only about 5% egomania

This is not an ideal nursery for 'grandstanding' prima donnas. And they're limited to three minutes each, anyway.

The dark voices in my head tell me that some Councillors oppose this move towards greater transparency for bad reasons: embarrassed by what they say, or by how little they say; wanting to lay claim to non-existent protests and challenges; not wanting their words to be remembered too precisely; not wanting to be seen as a low-budget part-time imitation of Parliament at its braying worst; and so on.

The saying goes that law-making and sausage-making are not pleasant to witness. The proposed internet broadcast would be like listening to sausages being made (every one a sizzling banger, hopefully). It might set your teeth on edge. It might send you to sleep. It might play havoc with your blood pressure. But if it gets more people more involved, and makes more Councillors more responsive, it will be worth every penny.

If CCC 'doesn't have the money for this sort of thing' as Cllr Gilbey is reported as saying, I am more than happy to discuss digging into my own pocket to help make it happen. Any Councillors wanting to take me up on this kind offer can contact me via the Comments below.

Shame

Here's another kick in the teeth for local democracy: local Councillors who can't be bothered to reply to an email from one of their constituents about a constituency matter.

My fine and beloved woman emailed the Councillors for Reculver Ward.
One out of the three replied.
Congratulations Gillian Reuby.
Shame on you Ann Taylor and Gabrielle Davis.

She also emailed the Herne Bay Area Members Panel.
Three out of the thirteen replied.
Congratulations Gillian Reuby, Peter Vickery-Jones and Ron Flaherty.
Shame on you Ann Taylor, Gabrielle Davis, Evelyn Bisset, Sharon Sonnex, Peter Lee, Vince McMahan, Margaret Flaherty, Roger Matthews, Ken Hando and Robert Bright.

If any of the "shy" Councillors have a convincing explanation for not replying, do please let me know. Otherwise, you keep your place in the Hall of Shame.

Democracy is a verb

When I went to the Council meeting on 22nd Jan, gracing the middle of the chamber were 50-ish Councillors, the Lord Mayor, and some Council officers and assorted hangers-on.

There was one guy sitting at the other end of my bench who left after hearing about the Council unearthing Roman remains in the basement of the Beaney - I assume he was an archeology fiend of some sort. There were two guys (spouses/partners/cabbies?) on the other side of the chamber who didn't seem to be paying much attention to anything. In other words, the public benches were all but empty. I'm told this is pretty well the norm.

Given that this is supposed to be the centre of our local democracy, this is not healthy.

I've always worked on the basis that if you don't vote in a General Election, you forfeit the right to bleat about whichever party becomes the Government. I've always voted, and have thoroughly enjoyed wailing and gnashing my teeth at each pitiful result. Members of Parliament are closely watched and extensively reported on - it takes very little effort to keep track of them, so I have grown lazy. Mea culpa.

MEPs and Councillors manage to fly over and under the radar, respectively. Until this Evil Land Grab popped up, I couldn't have named my Councillors, the Lord Mayor, or my MEP. (Just had to look up the last of those - turns out I've got 10, yes ten, MEPs. But I'm sharing them with several million other people.)

I freely admit, I've not been keeping an eye on CCC. But nor has anyone else, or not enough people. I have this awful dawning realisation that just voting isn't enough. It's not enough to make my mark on the voting slip and silently hope that everything-will-come-out-alright-in-the-end-somehow. Unfortunately, it's becoming increasingly obvious that the Council (and as a result, all of us) would benefit hugely from more of the public having more of a say.

I say 'unfortunately' because this does imply effort, and I am a lazy sod. I've heard a lot of people complaining with good reason about CCC's high-handed treatment of Herne Bay. The catch is: if you don't raise your voice (somehow), they'll never hear you, let alone listen.

The Council would find it harder to act with such high-handed disregard if they could hear the tuts of disapproval, the world-weary sighs of disappointment, the bitter "I-told-you-so" chuckles, the mocking laughter, the raspberries of derision, and the howls of rage from the Mighty Herne Bay Public.

Jean Law wins Herne Bay by-election for Tories

Jean Law's stunning victory at the Herne Bay by-election was overshadowed by an angry mob of protesters. Activist Bunny La Roche and five cohorts gate-crashed the vote count and launched a tirade of abuse at British National Party candidate Dennis Whiting.

Chants of "Nazi scum" and "homophobe" echoed around the Christ Church Parish Hall in Underdown Road as the BNP result was announced. One protester screamed: "When are you going to f***ing die Whiting?"

The 75-year-old, who once advocated the introduction of a £5,000 grant to send former Herne Bay Times reporter Connie Lee "home" to Malaysia, looked sheepish as Conservative Cllr Law tried to calm the rowdy mob. Later she said:

"That is what democracy in Britain is all about - being able to say what you believe. Bunny is a great lady. Her protests didn't spoil my celebrations at all. She was just showing how she feels. As a politician you have to expect to be criticised. It's the nature of what we do."

Mr Whiting was less than impressed with what he described as an "unwarranted verbal attack", he said:

"It was totally inappropriate and just indicates the closed minds they have. People like them think as long they don't do anything physical they can shout whatever disgusting abuse they like. I've never been thick-skinned but I've been in the game long enough to know what to expect. It was a shame for Jean Law because it completely spoiled the atmosphere for her. I wish the lady no ill will and hope she gets on well in the future."

Cllr Law now steps into the county council seat left vacant by the sudden death of her husband John in August. With almost half the 5,186 votes, a 23 per cent turn out, Cllr Law easily beat off competition from her nearest rival, Liberal Democrat candidate Margaret Flaherty. Cllr Law said:

"I am absolutely exhausted. I have to thank the people who supported and voted for me. I just hope their trust is not misplaced. I am so passionate about Herne Bay and will do everything I can at County Hall."

Cllr Law's husband died suddenly after a stroke at the couple's home in Whitstable. He had been county councillor for Herne Bay for seven years, most recently alongside David Hirst. Cllr Law said:

"It is a huge legacy to carry on because John left so many things that I hope to continue. But as much as I love him, this was not his election. Every election belongs to the people and it is up to them who they want to choose. I didn't really know what to expect but I'm delighted. I have been working 14 hours a day for more than a month."

Despite her victory, Cllr Law, who polled 2,474 votes, is only guaranteed eight months because the seat comes up for re-election next June. But she insisted:

"I'm definitely in it for the long run and will stand again."

She had come under fire from other candidates for not living in the town and confessed:

"It upset me because I am as passionate about Herne Bay as the next person. John and I were under police protection for two years because we campaigned for the new Thanet Way bypass. I have been championing Herne Bay since before my kids were born."

The by-election had been dubbed a two-horse race but Cllr Flaherty, with 1,524 votes, finished almost 1,000 votes behind her rival. She warned:

"I'm obviously a bit sad but we'll be back in June for another fight. The turn-out was disappointing. I would have thought the people of Herne Bay would have been more pro-active in voting for their county council representative. But I've congratulated Jean on her victory. She worked very hard. I've also been working hard since the election was declared so I'm quite looking forward to putting my feet up. I need to do some housework and spend time with my family. My boys are starving."

Despite languishing in second place, Cllr Flaherty was miles ahead of the remaining three candidates. Labour's Michael Britton polled 537 with Mr Whiting picking up 399 for the BNP. UKIP's Brian Macdowall was busy sunning himself in the Caribbean when his 252 votes were counted. Results:

• Conservative: Jean Law – 2,473
• Liberal Democrats: Margaret Flaherty – 1,524
• Labour: Michael Britton – 537
• British National Party: Dennis Whiting – 399
• UK Independence Party: Brian Macdowall – 252

thisiskent 17th Oct 2008