Friday, February 10, 2006

Public to have no Say in Council business

Mayor must be obeyed, and spectators told to "shut up!"

The Public, or Spectators, as the 90,000 Rugby residents are described, are to have no input into Council decision making process, and the truth must not be told under any circumstances.

The Mayor of Rugby wrote the following, when referring to an incident in which Lilian attempted to assist and inform the
Council, and to correct misinformation being given out at the Full Council meeting (October 2005). The Councillors and public were being misinformed, and mislead, about the failure to have an Environmental Impact Assessment in the Rugby Cement planning application, about the subsequent intensification, and change of use to co-incinerator, but Lilian was told to "shut up!"

Apparently the truth must not be heard?

"The Standing Orders of Rugby Borough Council do not allow "spectators" to address the meeting as you well know. I, as Chairman, am there to ensure that Standing Orders are obeyed. If you attempt to interrupt any Council meeting whilst I am Mayor, you can expect the same treatment as before. If you wish to have a meaningful input into Council decision making then get yourself elected, although I suspect you are quite aware that you are probably unelectable".

Does anyone know of a Code of Conduct for Councillors and Officers, and an obligation to use factually correct information, or can they just "play it by ear"?

A propensity for telling the truth makes one unelectable, apparently.



Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you mad. ~Aldous Huxley

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

"A propensity for telling the truth makes one unelectable, apparently."

:) Lilian, Have you only just found that out?

Lilian said...

Yes, that is so. I have only lived in Rugby for 8 years and have been used to the democracy pratised in the Middle East, and Asia, which has hardly prepared me for the "brand" of democracy practised in Rugby.

Are there any other Councils that operate like RBC, or is that a distinct part of the Warwickshire County Council heritage?

Anonymous said...

I may be mistaken, but didn't Rugby get voted as having the worst local council in the country.

If I am mistaken and wrong... Could we have another poll?

Anonymous said...

Rugby residents deserve better! In the interest of democracy, transparency, openness and truthfulness, we vote "Lilian for Mayor of Rugby!"