Criticised council will not be axed
DESPITE a 700-signature petition and concerns over its leadership, Great Coates Parish Council should not be axed.
That is the finding of a review after residents called for it to be abolished.
Villagers have waged a war against the council after it was revealed council tax would be increased to repay a £300,000 loan for a new hall.
When plans for the development progressed – despite 80 per cent of residents voting against it – 700 people signed a petition calling for the governance review.
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A report prepared by members of the review panel – which heard from interested parties on November 5, 6 and 9 – has stated the authority should stay.
But there are a number of areas of concern, including:
The "stand-off" between the council and residents could have been avoided with better engagement.
Lack of transparency surrounding the village hall project led to the distrust between the council and residents.
The council's reaction to the overwhelming outcome to the parish poll – where the majority of residents voted against the village hall – was "somewhat dismissive".
It is not clear if leadership on "significant local issues" is being given by the village councillors or the clerk, Kathy Nunn.
There have been "lapses in governance" at the council, which have created concerns over the village hall procurement process.
The review recommends that the "Draconian" step of abolishing the council would not be effective, but that the council should carry out a review into its activities.
It also recommends that the council begin working closely with members of Great Coates Residents' Association (Grass) and others to agree a plan for the future of the hall, as work has started.
Councillor Terry Thurogood, chairman of the community governance review panel, said: "The panel held three public meetings during November and residents and the village council were invited to speak. We also accepted representations from residents. The meetings covered a number of issues relating to the leadership, culture and governance of the council."
The panel has come up with the recommendations that will be put to an NELC scrutiny panel tomorrow at 2pm, prior to referral to full council.
The report is also being discussed by members of the parish council at its meeting at Great Coates Village Nursery School, in Station Road, from 6.30pm tonight.
Comments
by redmen311
Thursday, December 20 2012, 3:46PM
“Totally agree VoltaAmp. GET moderator I hope you have seen this and do something about it. Just about every story has his ramblings on it and his manipulation of ratings.”
by WalterMitty1
Thursday, December 20 2012, 3:32PM
“Why all this stupid rubbish about a serious topic which should be discussed by sane residents of Great Coates?”
by nukedragga
Wednesday, December 19 2012, 10:47PM
“Hmm I see lots of names on this page but how many people do they belong to?
This is why readers should play the game and award themselves 5 points for each of the Grimsby Troll's many names they spot and 10 points where they catch him responding to his own posts, 20 points if they spot him congratulating himself, because that's really weird and 40 points where he's pretending to be someone else as he demonstrates his vulgarity and that's another sad compulsion he possesses.
He doesn't like being ignored but that's what always happens to him aaaawwwwwwwww ;-)”
by calypso
Wednesday, December 19 2012, 10:40PM
“EducatedSage wrote: "If this is an indication of the current standard of English language knowledge, I'm surprised that we have any local newspapers left in the UK."
But we don't have any local newspapers left .. we have daily state-sponsored propaganda sheets, run by compliant puppets who simply parrot everything they're told.
It's Cut & Paste journalism.”
by VoltaAmp
Wednesday, December 19 2012, 9:37PM
“Assuming the GT has a moderator, how come sensible commentators views are subject to openly fiddled ratings?
How come the moderator tolerates stupidiy like Knuckledragger? This last contribution by a seemingly perverse contributor does the GT much harm!”
by Seahunter_1
Wednesday, December 19 2012, 1:58PM
“Think you've hit the nail on the head BcDeF. They've let our resident closet troll nukedragga out again and some Muppet has given him a computer to play on..... Que the -13 rating...... :o)”
by Malcolm_Ex
Wednesday, December 19 2012, 8:04AM
“Whoever is giving everyone the 13 red arrows needs to get a life. Obviously they have a rather large amount of time on their hands?”
by justsaying
Tuesday, December 18 2012, 8:11PM
“What a bunch of hypocrites are Chris Shaw and his Labour mates who are controlling NELC are!!!
I've looked at this report and you could cross out Great Coates Council every time it appears in the report and replace it with North Eat Lincolnshire Council and it would apply just as well. If Shaw et al think that theirs is the best way to run a council they've got a cheek complaining when Great Coates Council is doing the same!!!”
by BcDeF
Tuesday, December 18 2012, 7:47PM
“Except tickledpink?”
by BcDeF
Tuesday, December 18 2012, 6:37PM
“nukedragga!
Is that your secret signal? Are you trying to say "all marked with 13 reds" are one and the same?”