18 January (Part 1) - Any excuse will do
I
occasionally get asked for advice on how to combat Bexley council and their
funny ways. Few people make the distinction between me who does little more than
report other people’s tales of woe and more dedicated experts like the Bexley
Council Monitoring Group or perhaps Notomob (See contact menu above) for parking issues or even the
Citizens’ Advice Bureau. However occasionally the question is fairly easy to answer.
Something like three months ago a telephone caller told me he had written to a
councillor seven times without reply and asked what he could do about it. I
suggested that a complaint might be in order quoting the new rules that are
based on The Seven Principles of Public Life one of which is Accountability.
Openness might be a factor too. The rules were established at
a
meeting six months ago. I then forgot all about the phone call.
Earlier this week the same caller told me his complaint is going through the
system but he still wanted the councillor to answer his question so he had
written again. This time he got a reply which was only a little short of ‘as you
have complained about me you can whistle for
your answer’. That was the sentiment; very marginally more polite. I saw the letter but didn’t have an
opportunity to scan it. Which trougher got all uppity that he might be asked to do something
for his £22·5k. a year payoff from Bexley council? The picture may offer a clue.