The comments on the recent posts on sixth form education seem to have morphed into a discussion about our town council. One commenter asks what exactly our town councillors *do*.
It’s easier to say what they don’t do. The town council doesn’t fund our schools, care for vulnerable members of our society, keep or winter roads frost-free, stock our libraries or empty our bins. These and many more functions are at county level.
One of the town council’s key roles seems to be acting as a sounding board for the town. It’s easier or the Assembly, county council, health board, fire and police services to consult the town council than the whole community. After all, town councillors represent their community at grass roots level. As such, they have more influence and carry more weight than you and I during, for example, a consultation exercise or when the county council determines planning permissions.
There are some 15 town councillors, none of whom was elected in May 2008, unlike at county level, the last opportunity the town had to do so. This is because there were fewer people willing to stand than seats available. Indeed, I think I’m right in suggesting that the town council looked to co-opt members to vacant seats. The same was largely true of the community councils for villages surrounding Rhuthun/Ruthin. Does this suggest that local people fail to engage with the affairs of their town? Is this healthy? We’re all stakeholders and we all have an interest in how the town manages itself. And we can become engaged (e.g Udecide).
Gone are the days when squires or retired colonels or doctors were councillors just because of their social standing. The great strength about our local democratic system is that anyone can stand for election from any sector of society. This reflects the whole community. With the Assembly spending time and effort in trying to persuade people to stand as councillors, shouldn’t the same be true in Rhuthun? Do we owe it to ourselves to engage more in local politics in fielding enough candidates to give Rhuthun a choice? Would this indicate a political maturity? If so, we have two years to get this right.
Or it may well be that we are simply content with the calibre and quality of existing councillors and there's no harm in that, either.
It’s easier to say what they don’t do. The town council doesn’t fund our schools, care for vulnerable members of our society, keep or winter roads frost-free, stock our libraries or empty our bins. These and many more functions are at county level.
One of the town council’s key roles seems to be acting as a sounding board for the town. It’s easier or the Assembly, county council, health board, fire and police services to consult the town council than the whole community. After all, town councillors represent their community at grass roots level. As such, they have more influence and carry more weight than you and I during, for example, a consultation exercise or when the county council determines planning permissions.
There are some 15 town councillors, none of whom was elected in May 2008, unlike at county level, the last opportunity the town had to do so. This is because there were fewer people willing to stand than seats available. Indeed, I think I’m right in suggesting that the town council looked to co-opt members to vacant seats. The same was largely true of the community councils for villages surrounding Rhuthun/Ruthin. Does this suggest that local people fail to engage with the affairs of their town? Is this healthy? We’re all stakeholders and we all have an interest in how the town manages itself. And we can become engaged (e.g Udecide).
Gone are the days when squires or retired colonels or doctors were councillors just because of their social standing. The great strength about our local democratic system is that anyone can stand for election from any sector of society. This reflects the whole community. With the Assembly spending time and effort in trying to persuade people to stand as councillors, shouldn’t the same be true in Rhuthun? Do we owe it to ourselves to engage more in local politics in fielding enough candidates to give Rhuthun a choice? Would this indicate a political maturity? If so, we have two years to get this right.
Or it may well be that we are simply content with the calibre and quality of existing councillors and there's no harm in that, either.
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Town Council