It’s getting worse, this lack of information from Maltby Town Council. It’s like 2007/8/9/10/11/12 all over again !
As it’s Thursday, the day when meetings are ‘usually’ held by MTC, I phoned them this morning. The person who answered the phone confirmed that there is a Full Town Council Meeting, tonight at 6.30 at the Edward Dunn Building, Tickhill Road, Maltby.
But where is the Agenda for this meeting ? I asked
That won’t be on the site till tomorrow as it has to be signed by the chair, was the reply.
No, I said That would be the minutes. The Agenda needs to be available to the public before the meeting, or how else would we know what was intended to be discussed ?
She told me that the Clerk Ann Stewart was on the other phone, but would get back to me. Maybe she has not seen the emails this week. Hmm, maybe. Whether she has or not – and whether the chair Cllr J Carratt has or not – this is gross incompetency.
So now as well as the dates of forthcoming meetings, we are now also waiting for the Agenda for tonight’s meeting, the Agenda and minutes of 17th January, and of course not forgetting a small mention that tomorrow Friday 8th February noon, is the deadline for nominations for the councillor vacancy to be with Electoral Services.
There will definately be more to follow.
maltbyblogger 
http://www.rotherhamparishcouncils.gov.uk/getdoc/9c9353c3-fab5-49b9-8122-60f6f213403a/full-town-council-agenda-07-02-13.aspx
Thankyou sheepshaun for this link to the Agenda which has just been posted on MTC website. Perhaps if you have access to other information on Agenda, Minutes or anything else to do with MTC that they seem reluctant to let us have, you could post it on here as you have done with this.
They added it today, it certainly wasn’t available online yesterday. According to the website they are supposed to publish the agendas a few days prior to the meeting, not on the morning of the meeting or a few days later. But hey ho, mistakes happen. Often, it seems.
I found points 9 and 9.1 particularly interesting:
9. To receive notification from RMBC that the Casual Vacancy for Maltby North Ward will be filled by election on 7th March 2013 and:
9.1 The Town Council to decide if polling cards to be issued.
Maybe it’s just been badly worded, but to me 9.1 seems to imply that it’s up to the council to decide if we get to vote in this election. It is my understanding that, if an election is called, the council are duty bound to ensure polling cards are correctly issued, not to decide if they are going to issue them. Sorry if that comes across a being a bit pedantic, but the devil is in the detail 🙂
This issue is all part of the wider issue that MTC do not seem to adhere to democracy. The lack of agenda’s is just another thing to add to an ever growing list of their failings in this area such as not informing Maltby residents of the vacancy, the website being devoid of any useful info or they’re “preference” to” coopt rather than having an election” as 1 town councilour told me when I knocked at their door unknowingly.
They behave like this because they think that they will get elected regardless due to the lack of candidates to challange, however on March 9th the residents of the north ward will have an alternative as I delivered my nomination forms today.
I will make public transparacy my number 1 priorty if elected so that we have a council that speaks WITH the people as well as for them. I will also seek to increase spending on our parks and high street as well as attempting to reverse the closure of the bowling greens.
On March 7th I urge you all to vote TUSC and give me the chance to speak up for all residents of Maltby.
” 9.1 seems to imply that it’s up to the council to decide if we get to vote in this election. It is my understanding that, if an election is called, the council are duty bound to ensure polling cards are correctly issued, not to decide if they are going to issue them. Sorry if that comes across a being a bit pedantic, but the devil is in the detail ” R Wilde
Not pedantic at all. As you say the detail of such things is what MTC seems to treat as irrelevancies. The wording “The Town Council to decide if polling cards to be issued.” doesn’t imply it actually states that that a decision is to be made and that little word “IF” makes all the difference !
Joe Robinson – Very interesting but quite predictable response from that councilor on whose door you knocked (do tell who it was !! 🙂 )
Some councilors on MTC really believe that it is their right to have preferences and make choices and decisions without any regard for the people of Maltby.
Here’s hoping that on March 7th the best person for the role is democratically voted in.