I am beginning to meet long-standing Conservatives who feel that their party has descended into madness over Brexit. At the same time, I have been under attack from loyal Tory Brexiteers for promoting the next People’s Vote march in London on March 23rd. My critics fell silent when I asked whether they voted Leave to […]

I am writing this post wearing the hat of the chair of Uttlesford DC’s Scrutiny Committee. For those not familiar with local government structures, clause 6.3.8 of UDC’s constitution says that one of the Scrutiny Committee’s functions is to “question members of the executive (cabinet)….about their decisions and performance”. I am not writing today on […]

Consensus or conflict? Take your pick from last Thursday’s Full Council Meeting at Uttlesford. There was near unanimity on the budget for 2018/19. A 2.99% council tax (CT) rise was agreed with little dissent, though I did tell the finance portfolio holder (who agreed) that there needs to be a clearer explanation, perhaps pictorially, of […]

We examined the proposed budget for Uttlesford District Council (UDC) at last Tuesday’s meeting of the scrutiny committee. There was no major objection or upset. It’s proposed that Uttlesford’s council tax rate rises by 2.99%, a whisker under the level at which a referendum would be needed by district councils. I asked for a better […]

Let’s start this post with optimism – I will use my blog more often. Not quite a new year resolution; more a good intention. I started 2017 with the following:  Optimism comes from the belief that people will follow leaders who speak the truth and take the population with them, rather than seduce them with false promises that lead everyone into […]

The Army at Carver Barracks near Saffron Walden wants to create an 8-lane, 500m running track to supplement their existing sporting facilities. These are used at times by members of the public as well as by military personnel. Last Tuesday the Full Council meeting agreed to make a £500,000 grant towards the new facilities, which […]

Uttlesford’s Cabinet made this Key Decision on Monday. See earlier story. Uttlesford Cabinet Agenda item 15 – S106 Community Pot, Stansted RESOLVED that: i.        Subject to the agreement of the developer, a sum of £200,000 is allocated to Stansted Parish Council to fund the release of all “reserved rights” held by a third party over […]

We seem to be living in an age of pretend, unreal politics. We have a prime minister who pretends to be compassionate and wanting to help the less able in society. Yet as soon as she does something that upsets the Tory right-wing, such as paying for better social care services by increasing National Insurance charges […]

Thursday’s budget-setting meeting was largely uncontroversial. The main changes included an uplift in staff costs to make pay at Uttlesford (UDC) more competitive with pay at other councils; an as yet undefined attempt to improve customer service standards; a lot more money to keep the Local Plan on track. On the last point, planning is about £700,000 […]

There is nothing like a few pending crises to bring people of normally differing views together. Yesterday started with both the Dunmow Broadcast and the Saffron Walden Reporter featuring two Conservatives, Sir Alan Haselhurst MP and Cllr Howard Rolfe, lining up with me, a Liberal Democrat councillor, to promote the benefits of our country remaining […]