31 October 2009

Was that 15 minutes?

The last three days have been very busy here in sleepy old Somerton but the media circus has now left and its time for a little reflection.

What has become obvious, in the wider response to this blog, is the very real dissatisfaction that is felt by so many people across the UK and beyond, with regard to the performance of those who are meant to represent us. That dissatisfaction is real and it is based on the experiences or ordinary people, ordinary people who our leaders seek to ignore in pursuit of their own agendas.

The reaction to this blog, at a local level, has been varied and I have to recognise that my actions have visited threats, violence, abuse, smashed windows and burning cars on my partner and, for causing her such anguish, I doubt I will ever be able to truly apologise.

I'd like to thank friends and acquaintances in Somerton, and further afield, for their support. When I was sweeping up the broken glass it was their phone calls and quiet visits, with words of encouragement, that made me feel that this was worth the stretch. I can never repay their kindnesses.

But the real heros of the Somerton story are the ordinary men and women who have, in the last few months, stood up against the old guard. Those ordinary people are the heart of this story because it is they who have been abandoned and ignored by the local leadership. It was their frustration that finally broke through and it was their presence on Tuesday evening that caused the leadership to resign. It was their applause, when the resignations came, that was the voice of the people. The Somerton story is a reflection of their courage and commitment and they now have the opportunity to mould the future to their will. It is an opportunity that they have worked for and that they deserve. It is an opportunity that everyone needs to support.

Till next time, may your God go with you.

Niall

30 October 2009

Doing the Berlin Wall

It would be unrealistic to let last Tuesday evening's Somerton Town Council meeting go unnoticed and it certainly didn't go unnoticed by those who were there.

The Dunny hasn't had many meetings where the car-park was absolutely crammed and that was the first clue to tell you that something was afoot. Inside it was much the same with all the seats taken and standing room only. A rough head count suggested that 160 people had turned up for the meeting and they included a pretty broad spectrum of the community.


The meeting kicked off at 07:30pm with the introduction of Somerton's only electorally mandated councillor, Pat Bennett and she may now be seeing her success at the ballot box as something of a poisoned chalice. County Councillor Zouche followed up with an announcement that the pedestrian crossing at Behind Berry would not happen, another testament to the commitment of the residents there who took Somerton Town Council head-on when the Council were ready to pass the proposal on the nod.

Michael Fraser-Hopewell, the runner-up to Pat Bennett in the recent election, gave a brief summary of the Town Meeting which was held immediately before the Council Meeting. The Town meeting was called in response to the widespread disquiet caused by Mr A H Canvin's application to locate a new amenity site at Badger's Cross. The meeting had decided to hold the proposal of a Town referendum in abeyance until Mr Canvin re-introduces his application. In the meantime a decision was made to form a civic society for Somerton and this was generally seen as a positive step given the lamentable inability of Somerton Town Council to communicate with the community.

Public questions followed with a probing enquiry regarding the Town Council's continuing efforts to resist the Freedom of Information Act and the Town Clerk was unable to explain exactly why this peculiar course of action had been taken. A question was put with regard to to poor sound quality in the hall where most councillors were quite inaudible, even when they had something to say.Then followed a question about the running costs and generated revenues from the Tin Dunny and again, the Town Clerk was unable to give the gathered throng much of an answer. And then, about 33 minutes into the meeting, it all started to go Pete Tong.

The Vice Chair stood up, put on his jacket and started a brief speech about how he was sick and tired of something or other and how he was going to leave it all up to the Town. At that point it seemed like he was presenting his resignation and this stunning news was greeted by the audience with rapturous applause. This seemed to trigger of a convulsion of action on the part of most of the rest of the council. As one they rose up and the Chair was subject to a proverbial avalanche of resignation letters before he himself resigned. Clearly a rather well orchestrated action but whose point was rather lost on those who were watching with a growing sense of wonderment. As the sheep filed out, a euphoria spread through the hall and everyone there shared their own 'Berlin Wall' moment. Freedom. Heady days indeed.

Till next time, may your God protect you from those who won't.

M&B

28 October 2009

A beautiful sunset.



Followed by an equally beautiful morning, full of promise.

25 October 2009

Somerton picture puzzle


A signed laser copy to the first person to figure out who, what, where or why.
email your answers to muckandbrass@googlemail.com

M&B

24 October 2009

The whispered word.

M&B gets into interesting conversations and one of them touched on the subject of a "divided town". The view expressed was that Somerton is now riven with division and, apart from it being M&B's fault, the observation was that "it never used to be like this".

Taken at its most simplistic, there is a certain validity to the position. But one issue is glossed over in this view and that is that today, in October of 2009, there are now debates taking place within the community that are seriously critical of Somerton Town Council, and that is what is new. For the better part of the last century, Somerton has been a 'debate free zone', as well as being a 'tender free zone' of course.

Somertonians have long been used to suggestions that the decisions of Somerton Town Council were being made privately or that decisions taken would benefit one person rather than the rest. But today, the spotlight is starting to shine more harshly on Somerton Town Council as a whole and its failings are being illuminated.

M&B has long been saying that Somerton Town Council is more like a clown show than a Town Council but there is a more serious aspect to this statement than might at first be obvious. Behind the clown show is lies the reality that, with regard to the amenity site application at Badger's Cross, the Town Council were clearly prepared to support the application on the night. They were willing to consider a position without considering the community. The Council would probably have gone ahead and 'approved' the application had not 100+ decent members of the community turned up to remind Somerton Town Council just who they are meant to represent.

The problem that both Somerton and its Town Council share is that behind that particular application lies the business interests of A H Canvin and the fact that A H Canvin is also Cllr A H Canvin complicates the issue for all parties. Where this clear conflict causes greatest difficulty is with regard to whether or not Somerton Town Council were going to consider the interests of the community first or were Somerton Town Council going to consider the interests of A H Canvin first.

But strangely, M&B doesn't see the conflict between Cllr A H Canvin and Mr A H Canvin as being the central problem. The central problem has been that this Town Council, with its 14 other members, hasn't bothered to sort the conflict out. They've tried to live with the problem or fudge their way around it, anything but actually deal with it head on. And in so doing, Somerton's Town Council has actually abrogated its responsibility towards the community that it is meant to represent.

And now we hear the whispered statements, always in private you understand, by councillors and their chums regarding their desire to "get on the side of the angels". Weird. We have all seen this town council, for a number of years now, acting as one. Buy the Tin Dunny! All hands rise. Sell Etsome Terrace! All hands rise. Not one voice of dissent. Not one. But, all of a sudden, in private you understand, some of them are starting to say that its time for some Democracy in Somerton.

Sorry, what did you say? Its time for some Democracy in Somerton? But I thought that Democracy was what you clowns were all about. I thought that your job was to deliver Democracy and the way you're talking, you've only just discovered the word. So just exactly what have you lot been doing for the last decade? Sleeping? Twiddling your thumbs? You certainly haven't been making Somerton Town Council act as if it was Somerton's Town Council. For the last decade it has looked like anything but Somerton's Town Council. And now, as Somerton starts to find a voice, you bunch of jackasses start to whisper the 'D' word.

Well, you'll excuse me for wondering why its taken so long and you'll excuse me for lamenting the £1,650,000 that you've spent along the way, a journey that you lot made whilst you were clearly ignorant of the 'D' word and what it meant.

Till next time, may your God shelter you and keep you from harm.

M&B

23 October 2009

CORRECTION

On the 14th October an anonymous comment was posted to Muck&Brass suggesting a connection between Wild Meadow Farm and Hawthorns SW. Muck&Brass has been assured that there is no financial connection between these two companies.

21 October 2009

Amenity Site application


This information was confirmed by the case officer, Bob Mills, at Somerset County Council this afternoon, Wednesday 21st October 2009. The application was withdrawn by the applicant's agent without further explanation.

Withdrawing an application in the face of a possible refusal is a strategic move on the part of the applicant. It allows the applicant the chance to restructure the application in the light of weaknesses or opposition.

This is only round one. Believe it!

M&B

PS 'Land for sale' sign adjacent to Canvin site at Badgers Cross does not refer to Canvin site. Appearance of sign clearly timed to cause consternation but relates to a separate part of the site with different owner.

Shaved heads and earrings..........


This evenings 'presentation' at the Tin Dunny was something of an anti-climax in that there was really nothing to add to the information that the community had already gathered about the planning application for a proposed amenity site at Badgers Cross. The developer, A H Canvin, had put on a show with various consultants and planning advisors but, in essence, the cat is out of the bag and the hired help added little to the debate.

The key points would now seem to be that this application is speculative and that it does not answer nor seek to answer any strategic objective defined by policy at County or District level, mainly because there is none to answer. It does address the Government's over-arching objective, at a national level, to reduce landfill and to increase recycling but, there again, so does your wheelie bin. No, the problem for this application is that, when it is examined, it is only of significance to the applicant and what they have failed to consider is the impact that their self-interest will have on everyone else.

Its fair to say that, because of the applicant's clear misjudgement of the community's mood where the applicant sought to present the application in a prejudiced and kack-handed manner at the Somerton Town Council meeting on 13th October, there has been a remarkable ground-swell of opinion against the application and also against the applicant. The situation is not helped by the community's growing awareness that the applicant's dual role, both as developer and both Local and District Councillor, gives the applicant significant and influential access to all aspects of the planning process. Access which the community does not share in equal measure and which, the community is beginning to see, gives the applicant a significant advantage in a situation such as this.

Obviously the applicant's consultants were quick to point out that, in a situation such as this, where the applicant faces possible accusations of 'conflict of interest', the applicant would leave a Council Meeting whilst their application was being discussed. But the community is beginning to appreciate that the issue is not the relatively short period of time when the application is being considered that is under scrutiny. Under scrutiny is the far longer period of time, possible a year or 18 months before the application is made, when the applicant can use their extensive access to the process to prepare their position. In the face of this advantage, the community is starting to feel abused.

Now, most reasonable people, when faced with gathering storm clouds, might have made a real and constructive effort to build bridges and adopt a softer approach towards the community. But that isn't A H Canvin's style. No, A H Canvin doesn't do conciliation but favours a more robust approach and that was signalled by the presence of two heavies dressed like bouncers from some brawler's pub in the East End. These charming individuals guarded the entrance to the Tin Dunny, something that hasn't usually been needed at our very own Marie Celeste. There was also gentle intimidation people entering the hall (a public space owned by the community) were photographed. When challenged about this action the applicant's hired help sought to explain it by suggesting that it was part of the consultation process and that it would help them count the number of visitors to the presentation. Not a very convincing story.

Now we will have to wait to see which way Somerton Town Council jumps when they are scheduled to consider their response to this application at next week's meeting. Will we see the usual parade of sad husks making meaningless comments before they are marshalled, like sheep, into the obligatory 'almost a majority' vote in favour of this latest slap in the face for Somerton.

Be there! See the spectacle. Gasp. Cry.

M&B

19 October 2009

A collective noun..........

After hearing a dozen reports of Somerton Town Council's meeting on 13th October, M&B was moved to consider what might be the collective noun for a gathering together of hypocrites. A flock? A swarm? A huddle? An opinion? There were plenty of possibles but, in the end, one proposed itself above all others - a council of hypocrites. Perfect in Oh so many ways but very very apropos with regard to Somerton Town Council because that indeed is what they are. Let me explain.

Over the years various planning applications in the older parts of Somerton have faced objections from councillors for the most idiotic of reasons. The application at the rear of Old Bell House being one such application and the meal that the Council made recently over the application at Cow Square was another.

With those experiences in mind, you'd have thought that the Council would be very, very careful with a planning application for one of the more prominent buildings at the centre of the 'old town', especially an application that the Town Council was promoting. In this I am referring to the application for a set of French doors to be installed at the Parish Rooms. So it came as something of a surprise to be told that Cllr Gill 'asleep at the wheel' Beale had put this application together without notifying any of the other councillors.

This struck M&B as strange because recent experiences of Cllr Beale suggest that she'd have difficulty filling in a Bingo Card far less instructing a planning application. M&B made some enquiries and was very surprised to establish that this planning application has been underway for some time. The covering letter to the planning app was signed by our esteemed Town Clerk on 16th September, almost a month before the meeting of 13th October. The covering letter was noted as having been circulated to Keenan, Canvin and Beale. The application itself was made by Bryan Sheffield Ltd (a company known to Edgar Builders) and the drawings which accompanied the application were dated August 2009. From this it is possible to suggest that work on the application must have started before August 2009, probably in July.

Now, for Bryan Sheffield Ltd to have started work they would have needed an instruction and a quick call to their office in Shepton Mallet resulted in Mr Bryan Sheffield himself confirming that he had taken his instructions from our esteemed Town Clerk and also from our Clerk's administrative assistant, Mrs Briggs. Given that this work was clearly known to Keenan, Canvin, Beale, Calderwood and Briggs at least a month before the application was lodged, how was it that the item had to be withdrawn "because the Council didn't know about it"?

And that takes us to consideration of the application itself (see drawing below). Somerton Town Council's general ignorance of planning issues has always been pretty obvious but this application really underscores that ignorance. The application proposes that an opening some 10' high and 6' wide be cut into the southern and most visible elevation of the Parish Rooms to accommodate a pair of french doors. This opening will cut far into the arched window in that elevation and, however it is executed, will change the character of that aspect of the building for ever. Not only that, I would imagine that the work will probably result in the replacement of the entire window-frame as I doubt it is in very good condition.
To summarise, we have a pretty crude application which will deface an important building in the Market Square (see Pevsner's guide with regard to Somerton) and within the conservation area. The proposal is to insert a pair of shoddy aluminium doors (powder coated white?) which would not look out of place in a convenience store. And all of this is done, we are led to believe, at the hand of a councillor, Cllr Beale, who was one of the fiercest critics of a well thought through application at the rear of Old Bell House. Talk about a council of hypocrites.

And remember, suckers, you'll be paying for this wonderful addition to our townscape.

M&B

17 October 2009

Democracy works - sometimes.

We take democracy and the democratic process for granted and its only when it is tested that we find out whether it works or not. In the recent election for the vacancy on Somerton Town Council we saw the democratic process in action and we saw it work. Democracy functioned and delivered a rebuke to the vested interests in Somerton, voting 968 votes to 236 votes in favour of 'change'. But in other areas, the democratic process remains embattled.

When the democratic process is tested, we also find out about the obstructions placed in the way of democracy, best illustrated in Burma where we see the forces of authoritarianism doing their best to silence Aung San Suu Kyi. But, and maybe surprisingly, the forces of authoritarianism are active in Somerton, albeit in a rather less obvious manner.

As most people know by now, Tony Canvin (aka Cllr Tony Canvin) has officially revealed his latest money-making scheme which is to get planning consent for an amenity site located at Badger's Cross. Tony's cronies on the Town Council were dead set to give this application their approval without any form of public discussion or consultation but, inconveniently, some locals found out about the proposal and caused a real ruckus at the meeting on 13th October. The result was that Tiny Tony instructed his Town Council to defer consideration of the application in order to allow him time to organise a 'consultation' with the public.

In this brief breathing space, those pesky residents (also known as Council Tax payers and voters) had the time to organise a meeting of their own. To publicise the meeting, they made up A4 flyers and set out to distribute them throughout Somerton. But then they ran up against a real problem - many shopkeepers wouldn't put the notices up and the reason given was that they didn't want to get involved for fear of attracting the Tiny One's wrath.

So now its reasonable to ask, "How can the democratic process work in Somerton when the Town Council is influenced by one individual (Mr/Cllr Canvin) who has business interests so extensive that legitimate opposition to those interests is stifled?" The answer is simple. It can't. Unless, that is, it is supported and enabled by the other councillors who are elected, as Mr Canvin is, to represent the electorate. Sadly, Somerton's Town Councillors don't do their job and, as a result, vested interest, as represented by Mr Canvin, gets away with murder.

Of course there is one other person who deserves a mention in this equation and that is Somerton's Town Clerk. The position of Town Clerk carries a range of responsibilities and one of these is to make sure that the Register of Member's Interests is accurate. Were the Register accurate, the voters and Council Tax payers might be better able to recognise and name the conflicts of interest that bedevil Somerton Town Council and defend themselves against them. Why, then, is the Town Clerk unable to execute this aspect of his job? Its certainly not because he isn't paid enough.

The recent election showed that democracy can function in Somerton and Somerton Town Council's unelected councillors showed their interest in the process by being noticeably absent from the poll, the count and the announcement of the result. Will they remain as invisible when Mr/Cllr Canvin tells them to vote for his latest scheme? Unfortunately all evidence suggests that they will turn out in force to make sure that vested interest overcomes democracy.

See you at the barricades.

M&B

15 October 2009

Gonna get elected


Muck&Brass was pleased to be at the Wessex Rooms at 10:30pm this evening when the result of the election for the vacant seat on Somerton Town Council was announced.

The atmosphere in the hall was electric (OK M&B exaggerates a little) but it was clear that this election had managed to stir something in Somerton's electorate. Four members of SSDC staff went at the job of counting the votes and there were substantial piles of paper on the counting desks by the time the returning officer was able to announce the result, which was:

Pat Bennett 555 votes
Michael Fraser-Hopewell 413 votes
Dean Ruddle 236 votes

Pat Bennett was therefore duly elected to serve on Somerton's Town Council and this means that Pat Bennett is the ONLY councillor on Somerton Town Council with an electoral mandate.

M&B wishes Pat Bennett every success in her term of office and warns the community against any suggestion of an Obama style expectation of change. Vested interests are deeply entrenched and will resist any effort to introduce democracy to Somerton Town Council. None-the-less, Pat and the other candidates, Michael Hopewell-Fraser and Dean Ruddle, are to be congratulated on being able to attract more than 30% of the electorate to the polling station. This indicates the growing depth of feeling in the wider community that Somerton Town Council, under its current leadership, has outstayed its welcome.

Special mention should go to SSDC staffers Anne Chislet, Donna Thorne, Linda Creek and David Cheers who managed the polling station as well as the count and the returning officer was Roger Quantock. (Apologies for any mis-spelling).

14 October 2009

Way to go Somerton

M&B is keeping a low profile right now, something to do with burning cars and broken windows, but tonight the M&B phone was ringing off the hook with reports of the evening's Somerton Town Council meeting. Taking place in the usually sparsely populated Parish Rooms, reports are that over 100 people turned up to tell Somerton Town Council what they thought about Tony Canvin's latest planning application.

Word got out last week that the tiny one had presented a planning application which was for an amenity site at Badger's Cross. The application was meant to have been discussed this evening but because of serious public disquiet, originating from the very few people who had managed to find out about the application, a late effort was made by the tiny one to defuse the situation via his gofer. When the chair opened the meeting Monsieur Pompadour announced that the application for the amenity site had been deferred for two weeks whereupon some members of the audience, who had come for that particular item, gave vent to their anger.

What ensued was a very lively 'Public Question Time' where members of the public, denied the opportunity to discuss and debate the application, used this opportunity to question the Town Council about just how the Badger's Cross application had managed to get all the way to (almost) being considered by the Town Council before the community, who will be most effected by it (with the exception of the tiny one's bank balance), were made aware of it. The idea has been in the rumour mill for at east a year yet Monsieur Pompadour was at pains to say that the application only landed on his desk a week ago. Probably technically correct but undoubtedly weasel words because the application isn't the idea and I'm sure that the idea has been widely known in the Town Council for a while. Many felt that such a significant application should have been put out to public consultation long before an application was made. M&B thinks that such an experienced vice-chair as the tiny one should have considered the community first and consulted, unless there was a reason for such consultation to be avoided.

M&B managed to speak to senior members of staff at the South West Waste Partnership before the meeting and they confirmed that the tiny one was putting the application together as a speculative venture and that SWWP had no part in it. SWWP also said that, to the best of their knowledge, Somerset County Council wasn't involved either. And that brings the old Zouchebag into the frame. El Zoucho got in at the start and made some ill-considered statement about how the Bancombe site was under discussion at County and that, evidently, we needed a new facility as a matter of priority. Now forgive me for saying this but if 'we', which can be assumed to mean 'the community of Somerton', are in such desperate need for a new amenity facility, why aren't 'we' demonstrating outside County Hall. Why aren't there placards being paraded outside the Bancombe site demanding a new facility? Maybe the reason the 'we' aren't protesting is because 'we' don't want a new amenity site as a matter of priority. Maybe the only person who wants a new amenity site is the tiny one himself.

So, why should such an important application have been hushed up and almost pushed through Somerton Town Council on the nod. Well, the obvious reason is that such an application, were it given a proper public consultation (not a word the the tiny one or his gofer are familiar with) then it might just run into some opposition. And tonight's meeting would suggest that there will be opposition.

So, once again Somerton Town Council struts its self-interested stuff and does it with style and panache. When you have a Town Council which is effectively dominated by a single individual who is not only vice-chair of the Council but a significant landowner and developer, it seems inevitable that there will be conflicts of interest. This Town Council does absolutely nothing whatsoever to protect the community from the impact of these ongoing conflicts and, as a result, the tiny one runs amuck whilst our councillors, who are meant to represent the community, run for cover.

But this evening the community of Somerton showed Somerton Town Council's gutless and ineffectual Town Councillors that it does have a voice and that it can speak out. And this comes hard on the heels of Somerton Town Council's last `'failure to consult' regarding the crossing at Behind Berry. Maybe there is a wind of change in the air. Maybe the community of Somerton is beginning to find its voice and M&B salutes you for it.

12 October 2009

Its that damn badger again.

M&B has received a number of emails regarding a 'new' planning application which seeks permission for an amenity site out at Badger's Cross. This development will effect everyone in Somerton and has been rumoured for over a year yet it has not been discussed by Somerton Town Council and it is fair to ask, 'Why not?'.

Well M&B can think of a number of reasons - the Town Council is comatose - the Town Council don't want to rock the boat - the Town Council don't know that they should put the interests of the community first. M&B could go on and on and on but you'll already understand the point.

This application comes from none other than 'Mr Somerton' himself, Tony Canvin (aka Cllr Canvin) and that explains why Somerton Town Council won't give this application the fullest airing possible. Compare the Council's inaction in this case to its outrage over the Millands application. Tells you something, doesn't it.

Tiny Tony has decided to start 'Bancombe Mk2' at Badgers Cross and this is the first step along that road. Get the amenity site moved out there and that will get people familiar with his landholding and then he can start to build the infrastructure to develop it as another industrial site.

Its also worth considering that an amenity site at Badger's Cross would be well positioned to serve any possible residential developments around the old Radio Station. It would be very informative were someone to find out who owns land in that location and that might add to the picture around this proposed amenity site.

So, Tony Canvin has a major investment in getting permission for an amenity site at Bagder's Cross and, given his influence at Bancombe, it is easy to see that the Bancombe amenity site may find it necessary to relocate.

Now, consider the fact that an amenity site is used, one way or another, by almost everyone in Somerton which makes the location something of significance to the town. That being the case, you'd have expected the Town Council to raise the issue the moment it was even rumoured (at least 1 year ago). But not this bunch of utter deadbeats. To describe them as being 'asleep at the wheel' doesn't get to the nub of it. I can see the Town Council lining up for the usual round of fawning sycophancy. "Oh Tony, you're so manly.' 'Oh Tony, please let me ride in your helicopter.' 'Oh Tony, here's my vote.'

When is Somerton going to wake up and put an end to the 'conflicts of interest' that underpin almost everything that this Town Coucil does?

Oh, almost as an afterthought, this clip is on YouTube. Check out the model around second 06:00. Boon Brown seem to do their research in the same place.

Till next time, remember to sort your rubbish.

Niall

10 October 2009

A virtual hustings

In order to better inform myself about the beliefs and values of the three candidates for the current Somerton Town Council vacancy, I presented the same 10 questions to each of the candidates. Their replies, edited for space, are reproduced below. The candidate's answers are reproduced in alphabetical order with initials identifying the candidates: PB for Pat Bennett; MFH for Michael Fraser-Hopewell and DR for Dean Ruddle. The questions are shown in italics above the answers. If anyone would like to see the unedited answers, please contact M&B.

1. Have you undertaken any official training in preparation for your possible participation as a councillor on Somerton’s Town Council? (If yes, please specify.)

PB: "None to date...... I shall be seeking initial induction and training."

MFH: "No I have not taken any specific training..... I have asked for....information on the responsibilities and legal liabilities of an elected Councillor."

DR: Did not respond.


2. Are you aware of the legislation regulating the activities of Somerton Town Council and its Councillors? (If yes, please specify.)

PB: "NALC Practitioners Guide; Local Govt Act 2000; ICO Model Publication Scheme and Sustainable Communities Act 2007."

MFH: "See note above please." (see answer to 1 above - Ed)

DR: Did not respond..


3. What aspects of the Council’s activities do you believe should be hidden from public view or enquiry? (Please specify.)

PB: "......I believe that the role of our Councillors is simply to represent the people of Somerton so there can be no reason for secrecy regarding any aspect of the work they do."

MFH: "In general, no activities whatsoever, conducted by an elected body, should be hidden from public view."

DR: Did not respond.



4. Should Somerton Town Council publish a register of Member’s Interests?

PB: "There should be a register of Members Interests and it should be published."

MFH: "Yes. It would certainly be an aid to transparency."

DR: Did not respond.



5. Based upon your own knowledge of Somerton Town Council, should the Council undertake more or less consultation with the Community?

PB: "In my opinion there should be considerably more consultation with the Community."

MFH: "Without a shadow of doubt, definitely more."

DR: Did not respond.


6. What do you see as the top 3 priorities facing Somerton Town Council today?

PB: "Improving every aspect of Communication; Improving Consultation with the Community and Developing a clear plan for the future of the town."

MFH: "a. The future of Edgar Hall. In my opinion an ill-advised venture completed without due consultation. 
b. The regeneration of the Centre and heart of Somerton (Retail and commercial) before it is too late.
 c. Regaining the trust and respect of the community as a whole."

DR: Did not respond.


7. Based upon your current knowledge, is Somerton Town Council currently making the best use of the Precept and, if not, how should the use of the Precept change?

PB: "I have no idea if the Precept is being spent wisely or if we are getting good value for money. I believe there are issues around the lack of financial information, the size of the Precept relative to other towns, the size of the administrative element, the level of borrowing and the budgeting process........"

MFH: "I would need to see a copy of the budget, future proposals and accounts before I could truthfully answer this question."

DR: Did not respond.


8. Have you seen the current accounts of Somerton Town Council including its assets and liabilities and, if so, what is your view of the Council’s current situation?

PB: "The only financial information I have seen to date is: The breakdown of the Precept in the Annual Council Tax review; the summary of receipts and payments in the annual Somerton News and the monthly expenditure in the Council Minutes."

MFH: "A request has been made for these."

DR: Did not respond.


9. What issue(s) do you wish to promote, should your candidacy be successful, and by which you would wish your tenure to be judged? (Please specify.)

PB: "....the same as the top 3 priorities facing the Council today." (see 6 above - Ed)

MFH: "Really the points covered in question six." (see 6 above - Ed)

DR: Did not respond.


10. What particular qualifications make you the best candidate for the current vacancy?

PB: "I have the time, energy and enthusiasm to deal with the obvious frustrations that lie ahead. My previous role with Clarks involved working strategically, operationally and as an agent for change. I know how to build good teams, communicate effectively at all levels and manage dissent. I know my way around drawings/plans, balance sheets and budgets, laws and regualtions, action plans and performance coaching..........Having observed the Town Council meetings for some time I do recognise that I've never operated in an environment where the 'team' is not broadly engaged with achieving the same task. But I'm willing to give this my best shot and am not daunted by any aspect of this challenge."

MFH: "My previous career as the Managing Director of a large International Company equipped me with skills of Communication, consultation, delegation, problem solving, decision-making, teamwork or leadership as appropriate; and vision.

I have a sound knowledge of budgetary control, fiscal responsibility, project management, marketing and some legal complexities.

I bring a positive attitude and a “can do” approach, tempered with a large slices of common sense. I have a practical and somewhat pragmatic approach to dealing with the issues that some people would rather avoid."

DR: Did not respond.


So, dear readers, there you have it. The candidates responses (or lack of them) to 10 questions which, hopefully, give some indication of how these candidates will behave if elected. Think about your choice carefully because, once made, Somerton will be stuck with it for another 18 months till the next election. And remember - your job isn't done once you've voted. You must remain involved and make sure that you hold your councillors accountable. If you don't, Somerton may just end up with another Tin Dunny on its hands.

See you in the voting booth.

Niall

9 October 2009

Who owns our Democracy?

With the imminent election in Somerton, it is useful to consider the relationship between ourselves, the electorate, and our elected representatives. It seems to be a common view in Somerton (and probably across the country) that once a member of the electorate casts their vote, their job is done. They have voted, discharged their responsibilities and now its up to those elected to get on with the job. So how has that model of 'un-engaged democracy' worked here in Somerton? Not very well based upon the performance of this Town Council.

Across the last 10 years, and with only minor interruptions, Somerton Town Council has gone about the job of wasting public money and its about the only job that its done at all well. There has been a complete absence of community engagement and, from my observations, the only members of the community that Somerton Town Council welcomes are those who are willing to indulge in 'brown nosing'.

Somerton Town Council has actively discouraged the community from taking any significant interest in their activities and they have been enabled in this strategy by the acquiescence of the community itself. The community has taken a step back, at the encouragement of the Council and its leadership, and left them to get on with it. And the drifting hulk of the Tin Dunny is the biggest monument to the Council's ineptitude. But Somerton should look beyond the Tin Dunny and consider how much money has slipped through the community's fingers in the last 10 years (setting the Dunny deal to one side).

Based upon figures supplied by South Somerset District Council, Somerton Town Council (aka the community of Somerton) has received (and spent) £1,645,500 in precept and of that figure, £1,047,500 has been received (and spent) in the last 5 years. Now the leadership (if you can call it that) of Somerton Town Council would claim that they have been oh-so-clever in cranking up the Precept. They view it as 'free' money. They ask SSDC for more money each year (look at the graph published here on Friday June 12th, 2009) and they get it because, I assume, SSDC believe that the requests are genuine. But this money isn't free, it comes from you and me, the taxpayer, and the idea of the Precept is that it is a chunk of local taxation (from Community Charge) that can be spent at a local level to achieve local ie community objectives. If the Dunny is anything to go by, Somerton Town Council have failed miserably in that objective.

Now, take a look at this situation from the community's viewpoint. Today, Somerton has arguably the highest level of Precept in the whole of SSDC (when measured per capita and per household). Somerton also has a ridiculously inflated administration overhead with full-time Town Clerk, part time admin assistants and all the panoply of a burgeoning bureaucracy. That alone is soaking up 25% of the Precept. And what is happening to the other 75%? You tell me because Somerton Town Council won't explain where the dosh is going.

There is no public discussion of how budgets are made up and who makes them up. There are no minutes of committee meetings to show if any proposed budgets are questioned by councillors. In fact, there is no evidence whatsoever that any member of Somerton Town Council has done anything significant to question any of the budget decisions that have been taken over the last 10 years. And the reason that this has come about is that the community haven't held the Council and its Councillors to account.

And this brings us back to the original question, 'Who owns our Democracy?'. I would say that our Democracy is owned by 'We, the people' but if we park it in the garage and close the door after the election, don't be surprised if nothing changes.

See you at the ticking box.

Niall

3 October 2009

A councillor's reply - Somerton style

With the imminent election for the vacancy on Somerton Town Council, M&B thought it would be a good idea to find out what the candidates believe in or stand for. Its easy for someone to say that they want 'change' but its good to know what they think that might mean. In an effort to better understand the candidate's views, M&B presented each of them with 10 questions which, hopefully, might give some indication of how the candidates might behave if they were elected. The result of this 'virtual hustings' will be published on the blog in the week preceding the election.

But then M&B got to thinking. Why should these questions be limited to just the current candidates? Wouldn't it be an equally good idea to offer the existing councillors that chance to answer exactly the same questions? So M&B delivered or posted the same questions to each of the current members of Somerton Town Council and today's post contained one councillor's response, a photograph of which is below.


The envelope contained some shredded paper and, in the age old tradition of enquiry, it seemed a good idea to see if it was possible to reassemble the document and establish the identity of the sender. It didn't take long to find out that the councillor who sent this had gone to some trouble to remain anonymous.


What they had done was to photocopy the original, cut off the name and salutation, shred the rest, put it in an envelope and send it back. Sly, don't you think?

So, apart from refusing to answer legitimate questions from a member of the community, this so called 'elected representative' has, by their deceitful action, thrown suspicion onto their fellow councillors because any one of them could have done this. And this person may also use the original document in some future fabricated response in order to further confuse the situation.

Its only a pity that this councillor reserves such efforts for activities like this instead of delivering transparency and accountability to the taxpayers of Somerton. Maybe they'd also like to shred Somerton's votes.

Till next time, may your God keep you safe from cowards.

Niall

1 October 2009

A Cry for Help

Once again I have heard that some members of the online community in Somerton have difficulty finding M&B. Search engines can be tricky and its easy to find yourself facing 1,235,950 hits when you search for something like MuckandBrass so, if you know anyone who is having difficulty finding the blog, please pass this information along to them.

When you type the web address into your browser you can use either of two forms:
www.muckandbrass.blogspot.com or http://muckandbrass.blogspot.com/

You can also find the blog via a search engine (I use Google) by searching for the following:

niall connolly muck and brass


The image above shows you what the search window will look like in Google. Make sure you select the 'web search' option rather than the 'UK pages only'.

This search in Google should get you straight to hits for the blog and you can get the same result by Googling for:
somerton town council muck and brass
or
tin dunny muck and brass

Please pass this information along to anyone who is part of the online community because now, more than ever, its important to allow as many members of the community access to the widest range of views. With the upcoming election it would be good to show the current Council that there is a concerned local community who wants its voice heard.

Muck&Brass supports and promotes local democracy in Somerton, something that Somerton Council never do.

See you down the ballot box.

Niall