New Idea? Abolish Politics at Parish Level

Having viewed some very worrying documentation and knowing that some very committed local residents, who do not have a political bone in their bodies, have only the town's interest at heart rather than the agenda of a political party, can we not try to remove the town council completely?  In other words, rather like the wonderful group that organises Portishead Christmas Lights (as just one example), this town should have committees only with the one proviso that no resident can sit on such a committee if they are a member or contributor to a recognised political party.  This idea was suggested at the weekend by a local resident to a group standing around her in the High Street.  All were in favour.

Then the contentious air currently hanging over Portishead will evaporate.  There will be no need for politics because decisions will be made by Portishead interest groups only and money allocated to them from Portishead funds managed by Portishead residents.  The need to go crawling cap in hand to Portishead Town Councillors will cease.  

Projects like the free for all, open air skatepark would have been managed and undoubtedly resolved with ease, after one consultation with the public (rather than consultation being overridden) and whatever the outcome, Portishead would have to accept it graciously.

What has encouraged me to promote the above idea?  Just read the following from the Lake Grounds Ward Councillor, written to the one Conservative councillor who voted in support of the skatepark on Wednesday evening (in other words against Cllr Walters' motion not to support it).  The correspondence was written on the 7th September 2010 at 22.27 p.m. after a meeting of councillors and before the 2011 Elections.  It speaks for itself but certainly does not speak for Portishead.

"With the 2011 elections fast approaching, we need to be singing off the same hymn sheet and at the moment it seems we are not on the subject of a skatepark in Portishead.  Your NSC colleagues have made it clear - no skatepark on the Lakegrounds, yet by consulting with Cllr Stanley and her Lib Dem SP team we are clearly divided.  I suggest we meet before the next 2011 meeting on the 20th to resolve what appears to be a serious issue".

The letter also includes the following:

"Even if the appeal overturns NSC's decision, landlord's permission is required and that is most unlikely under the current balance of power".

That one Conservative town councillor to whom this letter was written, bravely ignored the political pressure upon her and voted after seeing the facts, after reading public planning consultation and listening to her heart that was telling her to do right for her town.  Incidentally, although the letter was written to her (and her husband!), it was copied to the other Conservative town councillors and strangely a district councillor Carl Francis Pester who has nothing to do with Portishead.  Other names to which it was copied have been blanked out and not released as part of the Freedom of Information request.

How does one I wonder, propose removing poliics at local level because while I would never want to join the allegiance of councillors here, I would jump at the chance of being part of a non political committee that only has the town at heart, in a community where town politics would not exist in any shape or form.