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Parish Council Procedure - Paul Robinson (7th Sep 2006 - 20:37:10) Was it only a few months ago that we voted Nigel Newman onto the Parish Council on the strength of his pledge to open government policy, i.e. no more behind closed doors dealings? So are we to believe the report in today's Liphook Herald that once again the Parish Council have elected to closet themselves away to discuss, among other things, the wrangle with the Scouts and Guides and the Millennium Hall? Did Nigel, along with Freddie, slope shoulders and slink into the inner sanctum? I think we should be told. Paul Robinson

Re: Parish Council Procedure - Freddie Dawkins (8th Sep 2006 - 10:30:47) Hi, Paul - Blimey, who stirred you up then? Paul, it's really important that I say exactly what is going on: 1. There are no "secret" meetings of the Parish Council. 2. It's quite normal for all councils to have exempt sessions (i.e. excluding members of the public and press) when they are discussing legal or contractual matters, which are classified as exempt under the Local Government Code. 3. It seems to only be the Liphook Herald which constantly refers to "secret" meetings. All the other local papers and Delta Radio don't use this term. 4. As everyone knows, the matter of negotiations with the Scouts and Guides has "gone legal" because the Scouts and Guides have brought a Court action against the Parish Council. 5. What's being discussed in the exempt sessions is privileged information, mostly from lawyers, acting for the Parish Council. That's why it's exempt. 6. Once the legal process has been completed we'd hope to be able to release all the appropriate documents discussed at the exempt sessions to be available to the public and press. Actually, the current exempt session minutes are available if you'd care to pop into the office and ask for them. 7. I'll leave Nigel to respond here if he wants to, but I do think your message is a bit insulting to us both and the Council as a whole. 8. I think anyone who knows me will know that I'll never be "sloping off". I tend to be a bit too direct for most people!! Hope this clears up a few misunderstandings. rgds Freddie

Re: Parish Council Procedure - rob (8th Sep 2006 - 23:58:27) Semantics. Reminds me of those great books The Exempt Garden, On Her Majesty's Exempt Service, The Exempt Agent .... Obviously some business has to be conducted in private/secret/exemptness. Why get so worked up about the language? The nonsense is for anyone to think that any institution (public or private) can conduct its business without - as necessary - considering issues or developing negotiation positions in private. Sloping off? There's a rumour around that Freddie doesn't even live in Liphook any more!

Re: Parish Council Procedure - Freddie Dawkins (10th Sep 2006 - 13:53:36) Hi, Rob - Quite right. Having finally sold my house in Headley Road in May, I was then gazumped on a property. So I'm still actively looking. I'm based in London at the moment and commute backwards and forwards for house looking, Parish Council meetings, seeing friends, etc. This week I've been in Liphook 4 days out of 7. And so there's no misunderstanding, I pay all my fares/petrol costs backwards and forwards and have never claimed a penny in expenses to attend any PC meetings. Quite often I stay overnight in Liphook and pay to stay in local hotels or b&bs - again, I pay for this myself and make no claims on expenses etc. Have you been into the Parish office yet and looked at the exempt meetings minutes? Would be educational for you. Freddie

Re: Parish Council Procedure - rob (14th Sep 2006 - 20:03:29) Freddie Until the Parish Council runs a late night commuter drop in event on a regular basis, I'm not going to get to the Parish Office - and even then, I'd probably be too tired/tired and emotional to divert from my usual journey home. I know we're hated by the "locals", but lots of us commute from here and we all find it generally impossible to be in the village during normal working hours. So why doesn't the Council put up its minutes (including those of its exempt sesssions) on liphook.co.uk? Like the Carnival Committee is (very successfully) promoting its material? This is how things are done nowadays. Except, it seems, here. [I was going to make a play on words on "without exemption", but it would have come out as "without secretion", which wouldn't have been very funny would it.] rob.

Re: Parish Council Procedure - Freddie Dawkins (15th Sep 2006 - 20:56:41) Hi, Rob - As another "incomer" who used to commute, I somehow found time to get to the Parish Office. Even to become a Councillor. It´s all about commitment. If you read back through some of the other threads, you´ll see why the PC is building its own site - to publish all it´s committee papers. minutes, etc.

Re: Parish Council Procedure - rob (17th Sep 2006 - 15:31:55) No, Freddie. It's not all a matter of my commitment. It's all a matter of the Parish Council's attitude. It's no longer good enough for public sector organisations to say "this is what's on offer; the public can like it or lump it". Most public organisations are nowadays readily prepared to go out of their way to make it as easy as possible for the public to hold them to account and to access the services they offer. The public doesn't have to be committed; we're paying the bills! Try looking on us as customers rather than an inconvenience. rob

Re: Parish Council Procedure - Freddie Dawkins (18th Sep 2006 - 13:39:38) Hi, Rob ' Sorry, but you seem to be reading far more than I mean into what I say. If you re-read what I have said, I think you´ll find that I really enjoy being a councillor and helping people - and I´ve always been very keen on getting information out to everyone in the Parish. I can´t really see on what you base your argument. cheers Freddie

Re: Parish Council Procedure - Paul Robinson (18th Sep 2006 - 22:07:47) Having initiated this thread I am disappointed to note that we have not had a reply from Nigel but perhaps that has something to do with the castigation he got from the Parish Council for using Liphook.co.uk to thank his supporters and to outline his strategy for future Parish Council meetings. Liphook.co.uk is not the only forum for airing local concerns but it does seem to enjoy a measure of support and, at the present rate of progress, it is unlikely to be surpassed by the PC's own web site, when it eventually gets published. If the Parish Council really cares about what it's constituents think then it should try to communicate at all levels and, just maybe, it might get a better level of support and approval than it currently enjoys. Paul Robinson

Re: Parish Council Procedure - Eneida (19th Sep 2006 - 08:18:22) Well Rob you can't really expect the PC to treat us as customers rather than an inconvenience can you? After all they're only following this Government's example!! It seems to me that the only use 'the powers that be' have for us who are WCs is to pay up and shut up. BTW WCs = white Christians. Eneida

Re: Parish Council Procedure - nigel newman (23rd Sep 2006 - 19:32:33) To Paul Robinson and others. Thank you for your concerns about my welfare after the handbagging I received from the chairman’s wife at my first meeting. I know a lot of people have been wondering what I have been doing since then and whether I have become part of some ‘inner sanctum.’ As you may have seen, James Baker from the Liphook Herald has been wondering the same thing which is why I have tried to respond in an interview this week. James gets a lot of flak for continually reporting that the council has yet again gone into ‘secret’ session to discuss the issue of the scouts and guides and their occupancy of the Millennium Hall. He diligently turns out at 8pm on a Monday evening knowing that he is probably wasting his time and will be excluded after a few minutes. It is good, however, to know that our local paper is, as it should, taking a keen interest in what goes on in the village and I have been trying behind the scenes to improve the council’s relations with the Press. I have also tried to open up the debate about the scouts and guides but have discovered not surprisingly after seven years that views are deeply entrenched and that legal advice to keep discussions confidential has become inevitable. However, I believe the opportunity does exist to resolve this matter amicably without going to court if the enthusiasm is there to do so and I will continue to press for a resolution. I have certainly not ‘gone over to the dark side’ as one of my critics suggested and am just as keen as ever to represent the views and wishes of villagers in as open a manner as possible. If you read my interview, you will see that I am trying to be up front and approachable, and have even included my mobile telephone number for anyone who wishes to personally contact me rather than criticise me anonymously over this website. (If you haven’t got that, Eneida, it is 07782247661.) I am encouraged by the response I have already received as a result of the article in the Herald and hope that it may help remove the ‘them and us’ stigma which seems to pervade between the parish council and the electorate. Let’s give credit where it’s due as well as criticism when it is deserved. Nigel.

Re: Parish Council Procedure - Eneida (25th Sep 2006 - 12:14:01) Nigel, You can't accuse me of anonymous criticism when I put my name on my post can you? And, as far as I know, I am 'the only Eneida in the village'!! ;) My perception of what you were saying, in your interview with the Herald, was that it was a complete volte-face from your election manifesto and it did make me angry because I felt conned. I think this is the risk you take when you allow a reporter (however well meaning) to interpret and edit your words. I remember you and Dr. Carne complaining that your pre-election article in the Herald had been edited so that it didn't show what you were both meaning to say. I hope, in future, you will choose to use Liphook.co.uk to communicate with at least some of us, so that we can read your thoughts and wishes for the community in your own words, as you've now done. It would certainly stop misunderstandings! In fact, I wish all Councillors would use this web-site for communication with the electorate....I don't think they realise how very lucky we are to have such an excellent facility in Liphook. Eneida

Re: Parish Council Procedure - Liphook.co.uk Editor (28th Sep 2006 - 01:55:40) ** EDITOR NOTE ** Two posts on this thread have been removed by request of Farrer and Co solicitors acting for James Baker of the Farnham Herald.

Re: Parish Council Procedure - rob (28th Sep 2006 - 22:22:02) This is bizarre. Is this the same Herald that, over the months, has made so much running out of stories started on liphook.co.uk? I can't remember what was here, but I don't remember anything sailing particularly close to the wind. What price free speech? Perhaps the Herald will tell us what their problem is? rob.

Re: Parish Council Procedure - Steve Read (28th Sep 2006 - 22:55:08) Oh Dear, Now after comments about Sainsburys being removed from this site, now the Herald have taken legal advice and got some removed as well. (Own up! who was it? you nasty people). We are a bunch of militants are we not in Liphook. Fancy upsetting that cutting edge of reporting we call a newspaper. I mean last week there was a good eighth of a page on the inside cover devoted to a duck called Ellie that has gone missing. Strange really when you think of it, a duck flying off like that and not telling anybody. Still might get a postcard and make the front page next time. Will not be able to sleep tonight with the excitement and anticipation of rushing to the newsagent in the morning to get this weeks copy and pour over events "diligently" reported around the village.

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