I am still of the opinion that is unhealthy. It can cause a problem if a decision impacting Hedge End is taken at Eastleigh Borough Council and the same people are then able to push it through at Hedge End Town Council. I'm afraid that I'll go to my grave feeling that situation is wrong...
But I will concede that the Borough Councillors being on the Town Council was jolly useful the other evening, as I was able to raise my parking problem with them at the full Council meeting. Parking is an issue for the Borough Council really, but the Town Councillors were pleased to be made aware of the local issue and I was promised that it would be taken forward at the next appropriate Borough Council meeting. Which was great. Literally all that I had wanted from the Town Council meeting. Thank you.
I feel it was a useful way of doing things because the Councillors have now had the chance to think about this for a few days, maybe even look into a way forward, before the Borough Council meeting on Monday. If I had turned-up with this issue at the Borough meeting and asked to speak, I'd have hit them with it cold and I'm not sure that's always the best thing to do. I know that I'd be cautious about answering questions off the cuff if I was put in that situation. The little bit of extra time, the forewarning, might help the process work more effectively...?
So whilst this multiple hats business can cause problems when issues such as new housing are being directed down the chain, there are clearly some advantages when issues are being directed the other way...
So what's the solution, anybody...?
4 COMMENTS:
Errr..what Borough Council meeting on Monday?
Good question....!
I'll have to check that out.
I definitely heard them say Monday.
I think the meeting was referred to as a "HEWEB forum" which used to be when the councillors got together for informal discussions about local matters (such as prioritising highway works, or agreeing categorisation of green spaces) or for presentations from officers about legislation changes and other background issues or reviewing the management of the Itchen Valley CP.
Sometimes they involved very early discussions about potental developments which may or may not have eventually seen the light of day as a formal planning application.
These meetings are not open to the public and the agenda and minutes are not normally published. Sometimes the agenda items genuinely need to be confidential, sometimes the agenda items are grindingly boring but important, occasionally they might be of interest but cannot fit in an LAC agenda.
Thanks for clarifying that Keith. I was beginning to think I'd misheard...
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