Full Council tonight, which was a form of hell. Two Powerpoint presentations meant curtains had to be closed in the Council Chamber - on one of the hottest evenings of the year. And I was the only male councillor without a tie ! What are they all trying to prove ? I am not being 'disrespectful' by not having a tie on in weather like this....surely ?
Meeting was pretty uneventful. Some argy-bargy over the repeal of the taxi zoning system, which I supported in the interests of customer choice, with the other opposition groups opposing or abstaining. Congratulations to the IW Island Games Assoc. from all, and then a Public Health Report. The latter was then followed by a motion that the Council do all it can to reduce levels of obesity and to encourage healthy eating. I managed to work in a question about muesli and the Council's staff, which drew laughter with its reference to the Leader's most recent attempt at winning friends and influence.
There was a pretty discreditable question to me after my Scrutiny Chair's Report relating to the Labour Group leadership, which I dealt with appropriately. I also thanked the Chair for placing my Report in the Cabinet section of the agenda, and suggested that this was, however, nearly 3 years ahead of the schedule for Labour members to be running the Cabinet !
This was followed by the Leader's Report, where he dealt with a question about current staff morale from an Independent by lambasting Deborah and I for previously talking about low morale, on the basis of some report none of us in opposition have ever seen. After that there were the other Cabinet member reports - with quite a number of placed, soft questions from ruling group backbenchers. I asked a number of questions, but you start to get sick of hearing your own voice.
Finally I have recommenced from today my previous practice of not attending the start of Full Council until after 'Prayers'. I had given up this practice in the last 3 months, but have decided that I will always stay out for the rest of my term. I do not think such an overtly religious and Christian start to Council meetings is either appropriate or very inclusive. In my view religious celebration should be a personal, not a public matter.
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5 comments:
Stop complaining and get into that three-piece suit with wing collar and tie. Just remember you’re one of the Tribunes of the People, not some common labourer! Where would dumbing-down of dress codes end, have you thought about this? Roger Mazilius in speedos? Erica Oulton in a fetching white two piece? Win McRobert in flowery negligée?
It is said that in the great heatwave of 1911, when men in particular were still expected to swathe themselves in thick flannel suiting, there was at least one character who stripped off all his clothing and went barking mad; you may observe similar behaviour in your council colleagues.
Good on you for abstaining from their prayers. How ridiculous, for a religion - any religion - to be given such prominence. What a complete waste of time.
Christian Prayers??!! Only on the Isle of Wight can the Council get away with such a practice - how non-PC can you get!!!
The Council Chamber is not the place for such things - as a taxpayer who supports the upkeep of the building not to mention the salary of any staff in attendance, I will be voicing my opinion strongly in the appropriate forum.
It's not only on the Isle of Wight - many councils have a chaplain and many have prayers. Nobody has died of it to my knowledge. But, get real. Christian bishops sit in the House of Lords making law. That's something worth a second look, I'd say. But in the grand scheme of things I'm not sure that poking at a few insincere mumblings that take up a few minutes a year on the Isle of Wight is the very best place to be aiming our criticisms of the Isle of Wight Council, given the huge numbers of alternative targets they seem to offer. Anyone read Private Eye this week? Hee hee!
On the contrary, I think highlighting this mumbo jumbo is a very legitimate target indeed. That it is only a symptom of a much larger absurdity in British politics, is no reason to avoid laughing at their small part in it!
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