If you're reading this, then it must be that I have been doing something right over the past few years. The only difficulty is that I am now back where I was in April 1995 - wondering what our Councils are doing in our name. They seem to under the same impression that all politicians take up once they have power. They believe that as they were elected by more that other groups, then anything they do must be democratically right. Tony Blair is starting to find out the hard way, that even with a seemingly overwhelming majority in the House of Commons, that does not translate into the wishes of the majority of the public.

I have this strange attitude for someone who has stood for election to public office, that I actually believe in democracy. I foolishly believed that I represent all the people in my area of Berkhamsted, even though in 1995 only 700 odd elected me out of around 4000. I was criticised by the 'majority group' within the Independents for speaking out against a lot of the ideas being put forward without any form of debate. Reading the press over the past few months and listening to the odd comment from those still actually talking to me, it appears a similar situation now exists on the Town Council. The Independent controlled council allowed debate and if a meeting finished before 10:30pm, everyone wondered why. Now, it appears that 9:00pm is the norm - and with larger committees to produce a more varied point of view, even so, I was amazed when I heard that a recent Environment Committee, which had enough agenda items to cover 3 pages, was all over in 1½ hours.

Lets have a look at some of the things that have being going on and remember that I only have access to the local press reports and anything that comes my way via the 'back door'. The rest, of course, I make up in the best tradition.
Castle Street bridge improvement works. Have you actually had a look and thought how well our money was spent? In the press as I write, the Town Council is still trying to find out who is responsible for the lights on the railings in Lower Kings Road. County managed to install them during the earlier enhancement works, then walked away. John Cook identified ownership whilst he was in office as detailed in a 1996 article in this very magazine and I also know Mr Sharpe reads every word. Yet they are still messing about trying to get them repaired. Indeed, as recently as 1998, the Borough Council informed the Town Council that they would repair them as soon as County provided funds. So much easier for the Town Council to fund on a one-off basis whilst it gets sorted, but that would be too easy.
How about the REX. What about the REX? I hear you cry. The Liberal-Democrats put their weight behind the Friends of the REX organisation, indeed a number of the 'friends' were elected to the Council so why, if the assumption made in the first paragraph is correct, do they ask the Borough Council to buy the building site? The reason is that Berkhamsted residents would not support the Town Council raising the money from next years precept (money the Town Council legally extracts from us to fund its activities) to do just that. Every argument in favour of refurbishing the building as an arts centre/cinema ignores the capital cost to actually put it in place. Economics never were Liberal-Democrats strong point. It also ignores the Borough Council principle that it will not buy something for a third party. Councillor Sharpe has been a Borough Council member and group leader for many years, but forgets minor practical matters whilst playing politics. The Town Hall was in a very similar position in the early 1970s' but it's still not fully usable nearly 30 years later. Perhaps history is another weak subject.
Green Belt. The Conservatives are just about in control of the Borough Council and I understand they are working on alternatives to building the 'county quota' of housing on green belt. It's funny how when the Labour group were in power, officers provided reports that 'proved' the green belt land was the only land available for the additional housing 'needs'. Any day now (well, perhaps months), expect to see headlines to the effect that no green belt land will be required as other land has now been identified. This will come from those very same officers, by the way.
Coopers site. Lindy will never forgive me for this, but even if the only way she could get power and hang onto it was to change from being a Socialist to Independent to Liberal-Democrat, she has actually done something right for a change. Like her, I could never believe that a doctors surgery recently refurbished next door and attached to what most people consider as possibly the most heavily contaminated part of the side would be still in use if the offices at the far side of the site were so heavily contaminated they must be demolished. As with the green belt, you can commission a report from an 'expert' to support any point of view. This always worried me at the Borough Council when reports were presented and members became concerned, the officers took the view that it would be difficult to defend a decision taken against 'expert advice' if it was questioned.

Which brings me back to the point at the beginning of this piece. Just how interested are you in decisions made on your behalf? Do you believe that our elected representatives should just get on with it, or should they make every effort to inform you of the choices and decisions to be made. Personally, I believe every effort should be made to inform the public, who then have the choice whether to act or not. During my short period in office, I wrote a regular column in this magazine, I personally produced and delivered 7 newsletters around my ward, held regular monthly 'surgeries' in the Town Hall and developed the only web-site full of Berkhamsted information, views and comment. Add that to the local press, public meetings and Council newsletter, you had little excuse not to know what went on. I wonder how informed we will be over the coming 4 years with a political party who believes in passing power down to the local level so that local people make local decisions in power.

That's it for now, if you have a subject you would like me to have a look at, then get in touch.