SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

As you can probably tell I'm not sure I'm so enthusiastic blogging these days, but as it was Full Council tonight I suppose there is a public service element of what I write......

After the excitement of closing down all our schools down last month the Tories had the more usual thin agenda for tonight - apart from my motion seeking that the Council support the '10:10' carbon emissions reduction campaign. Sadly they did their usual - brought forward an amendment which sought to reduce emissions by just 4% in 2010. I rejected that, but the amendment was approved by 20 votes (all Tories) to 11, with 3 abstentions. The Tory Whip had done his job again.

Talking of whips I am told by a good source that Tory Group standing orders do not allow individual Tory councillors to speak on matters without the permission of the Whip. That would explain why so few Tory councillors make a contribution at Full Council, with no less than three never having opened their mouths in a debate. I bet they were all going to be 'strong voices' for their communities at the last election......

We then had to approve the membership of the new Ethical Standards Committee - our police force. As all the proposed members were only interviewed by councillors and senior officers I opposed - on my lonesome - as I don't approve of councillors choosing their judge and jury. Let the people decide !

After that it was questions to Cabinet members, with the Liberal group leader asking the Council Leader if I had now been appointed as 'Government Door Opener' after I accompanied the Tories to the meeting with Ed Miliband and they weren't invited. He was accusing me of being in a pact with the Tories over the same issue a couple of weeks ago - which shows just how out of touch the local Liberals were after their crushing defeat in 2005. Without Deborah and I there would have been no opposition whatsoever prior to last June and I still punch at least equal the weight of their five strong group on my own.

In my own question to the Leader I complained how many decisions were not taken by Full Council, but by Cabinet, and he committed to reviewing the Forward Plan for such decisions without making any promises.

At the end when the Liberal group leader was told foolishly by the Children Services Cabinet member to trust her judgement about progress in this area - a 3 star service in 2005, a 2 star service every year since - I asked if this meant that she thought we should listen to her rather than independent outside bodies like Ofsted ? Of course she couldn't confirm that, but hopefully it will stop us being patronised in the future.

All over by 8.20pm and an early return home.