local democracy down the toilet!!!

[icenian]

If you think your local council is going to downgrade a BOAT so you'll lose access, you might think it would be worth writing a letter - and if you know a councillor has any involvement in off roading, you may think he or she would be the ideal person to contact. Don't bother. Under John Prescott's "ethics" rules they are banned from voting or even speaking on the issue!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...C-new_04092006

Councillors are banned from speaking or voting on issues if they are perceived to have taken a position on the issue already ("predetermination"). One example is councillors who were told they couldn't debate or vote on Park and Ride schemes if they were drivers; that's a tenuous link and probably an extreme case dug up by a journalist, but you can easily see people could be disqualified if they were any sort of motoring enthusiast and the matter at stake was a minority issue.

Of course, I fully expect that councillors who have gone for countryside walks will be deemed to be "ramblers" with an interest in the case, and be barred from taking part...

We can also expect these rules to be applied when councillors vote on speed limit reductions

[Whealie]

In that case, try and get motion up that the council should be abolished unless more than 50% of councillors vote against. As they will all be barred from voting due to having a vested interest.....the result should be guaranteed.