I am of course talking about The Independent Action Party (IAP) and its now ex-President Charles Goddard. He has announced his resignation as Party President citing a difference of opinions in the party; " I believe that Cllr Worrow has been influenced too much by others."
Before you go searching TDC's site to find Cllr Worrow, we are talking about Cllr John Worrow of Birchington PC who has fellow IAP member Cllr Jean Fleming on Birchington PC as well. You will find them on Birchington Parish Council's web-site.
An interesting snippet is that Councillor John Worrow is also in the carpet business but cleans rather than sells. I rather like the idea of Mr Worrow perhaps cleaning up the mess on Sandy's carpets if he can get IAP to a state where it takes over at TDC. Here's what he had to say in 2007:
"There is no going back , only forward for it came through loud and clear, during the recent canvass, that the public wants something better than empty promises and spin . By offering the Electorate a commitment to heeding their needs and acting with integrity and initiative ,we will see the disillusioned galvanized into positive action by coming out and voting for an independent group, spearheaded by a new brand of honest politicians."
I like the idea of Independent Councillors at all levels and hope that TDC will go that way in due course. The 'Party' business at local level seems to lead to sudden transformations of newly elected councillors from independent mindedness and clarity of view to yes men , 'lobby fodder' and 'my Party and Leader right or wrong.'
I went looking for IAP at http://www.independentaction.org.uk/ but only found 123.reg.co.uk sitting on the site; has it been nobbled?
5 comments:
" a new brand of honest politicians" such a bold statement, is Cllr Worrow implying that other politicians are now dishonest?
Getting back to the subject, I am really starting to beleive Bertie by the way you write and think that you are a council officer. If so, you know as well as I do that TDC is nothing more than manipulation between the senior officers and senior councillors.The strength of a group prevents officer manipulation and infighting by councillors leads to a officer controlled council. If TDC was independant controlled and there was no group discipline the senior officers within the council will have a hey ho of a time building empires within TDC using divisive opinions of independant councillors.
Sadly, I am not on the local government gravy train, Tony but I do take your point about keeping Council officers in line and on their toes. I am very concerned that at local level we want men and women of principle who are prepared to say 'we got it wrong' and will then get on and sort out a problem. The Party 'Block' system within Local Government seems to militate against this. Would an independent council have gone along with the clear farce of putting Turner Mark 1 on the seaward side of Margate Harbour Wall and thus wasting £7 million. A Party 'block' controlled TDC did just that.
Interesting point, but will independents pulling in different directions achieve anything to start with in the first place. The last time they controlled thanet they achieved very little and kept Thanet in a dark age because of infighting. Evenyually some joined the Tories.
The reason Margate is suffering today is due to lack of descions many years ago and lack of foresight.Also there have been many false dawns such as "little venice" etc. Independents are more conservative than conservatives when it comes to conserving the established order, a civic habit which is a root cause of or current problems.
It is intersting how short some memories are. The Tory group at TDC abolished the Joint Transportation Board a little while ago; and has since decided it was a mistake and reinstated it, to many cat calls from the opposition.
Does this not qualify Bertie?
Chris, of course it does and I hope the 'cat-calls' were ignored! They suffer from the same 'block' affliction that fails to recognise that a change of mind may be just that and that it is not a 'Party' issue.
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