Councilors Resign En Masse Because of Blogger

[Kelavarus]

[citation][nom]FlamingGerbil[/nom]This guy seems like a pretty awesome troll.[/citation]

+1

[citation][nom]JieMan[/nom]Something to mention about the blogger is how I read about his windows getting smashed and car torched on fire by some people who were displeased about his blogging I wonder who they could have been ,perhaps one of the twelve that left the counsel.[/citation]

The Twelve That Left The Counsel.

Creepy name. Nice. 😀

 

[cookoy]

Yup, it's easy to criticize. Let him come up with a better idea, a better solution, a better plan, and he'll come up empty. Empty cans make a lot of noise.

 

[Guest]

What place does this news have in a magazine dedicated to hardware.

 

[buwish]

I believe it is because it has something to do with blogging or whatever. Never the less, I would be curious to know what the rest of the citizens thought of the council. People like this guy who blogs, etc... never have their own answers, they simply just know how to complain.

 

[tester24]

So you're saying it's wrong to complain about such things? Who cares if this guy didn't have any other ideas, he wasn't part of the council, that's why you elect people who are capable of coming up with more ideas.

I agree with the blogger's right to protest.

 

[griffed88]

^+1

You don't have to already know how to make something right when you know something is wrong.

 

[Guest]

The blog kicked off in November 2006 when Town Councillors made it clear that the community, whose money they spend, would have no say in a community hall project.

It shifted up a few gears in September 2008 when the Town Council announced that they were selling off land which had been purchased as the site for a community hall and were, instead, buying an industrial shed on the edge of the town. The community were not consulted, the project has now swallowed £1.3M and the town don't use the hall because it is too expensive, although the community have paid for it.

All through this story, one particular councillor has business interests which conflict with his position as a town councillor yet the rest of the Council followed along like sheep.

What really brought things to a head were two planning applications which the Town Council tried to push through without consulting those most affected ie the community. At the last meeting 160+ residents showed up, asked tough questions, and the councillors resigned, with pre-prepared statements blaming the blogger. But it was the community that made the difference. The blogger was a side-show, a distraction.

The best media coverage was on BBC2's Newsnight programme with Michael Crick. You can find it on his blog under the title 'Somerton Suiciders' and he compares the problems in Somerton with the larger problems in Westminster.

Regards and best wishes.

Niall

 

[Guest]

The story has faded into the dim and distant past but another chapter has been added with the publication of the External Auditor's Report in the Public Interest. This catalogues the failings of Somerton Town Council within fiscal 2008/9. The Report describes what may have been "unlawful expenditure" and "abuse of Public funds". The documents are on the Audit Commission website and the story is available at www.muckandbrass.blogspot.com Its a minor story but it describes abuses at the ground floor of our UK democracy.