26 February (Part 1) - Gagged again
After several weeks of silence Bexley council has advised at least two people that
it has decided not to accept questions put forward for the council meeting scheduled for 6th March. The
next meeting at which questions might be accepted will be held on 24th April
where up to 15 minutes will be allocated to residents who wish to ask a question.
That will make it just a shade under six months since Bexley council
last allocated any time to public questions.
On that occasion two questioners were allowed to stand and spout their piece. Mr. John Ault,
a Conservative who stood against councillor Chris Ball in Erith in 2010, was chosen to encourage
councillor Colin Campbell to tell us how expertly he had withdrawn Council Tax Benefits from the
disadvantaged and Mrs. Christine Bishop, wife of councillor Brian Bishop was selected
to invite councillor Linda Bailey to repeat her plea for Waitrose to open a store
in downtown Sidcup. Not the finest example of democracy but we are to be made to
wait six months to see it again.
There was no word relating to the
request by one questioner
not to have his address published in line with the
advice from the Information Commissioner.