We always welcome a Letter to the Editor to share with our readers. This one from Ken Thomas on budget decisions made by the Isle of Wight council. Ed
The letter from David and Jill Moore (CP 16/03/2012) was interesting as, to me, it highlighted how bad it is to have politics in local government.
I wonder why other groups/parties bother to provide an alternative budget as they know full well that the majority group will vote against it.
A time without political motivation
I am old enough to remember when there was no political involvement in the local council. People stood to represent their community in the hope of making improvements without any political motivation.
They mention that Cllr. Pugh said that some of the independant’s ideas could be looked at during the year. Surely, if the ideas were worth consideration, they should have been included in the budget discussions. This is impossible under the present system.
Decisions have been taken by our council that are politcally motivated in order to follow the party line.
Act to Island’s specific problems
Closing the TIC’s was unbelievable on an Island that relies on visitors. No other resort has taken such drastic action. Closing a number of libraries and public lavatories has been widely opposed by residents.
Of course, we know that savings must be made, but let us do it in the knowledge that the Island does have specific problems and act accordingly.
We have an election next year. Is it too much to hope that we can rid ourselves of a political council and have members who are there to support their community and not a party?
Image: Simon Haytack under CC BY 2.0
