It’s quite some time since I wrote anything about the council, and it isn’t because I don’t have anything to say, more that it’s taken me some years of attending meetings to figure out how it works. I find it pretty clear too, that a number of councillors, judging by their input at meetings, don’t know how it works either.
On the surface, most people would think that the council chamber, especially when the council is session, is probably the most boring place in Lyme Regis. Having been recording council meetings for the past 5 years, pretty much the term of the current council, I find that the opposite is true. Not just that the Council really is the hub of the town that often deserves more praise than it receives, it has a fascination much deeper than its duty of service to the town. There are good reasons why the wheels of local government grind slowly, in this chamber, there is a diverse group of individuals, all with differing interests, often from different walks of life and each has his or her own view of what is best for the town. There are always personal likes and dislikes lurking below the surface which can affect decisions the council makes.
What can make a meeting interesting is the quality of the debate, which often depends on who is present. Indeed, there are some who think it’s a place of decision rather than debate. You could in fact, divide the council into 3 groups, those who debate, those who propose decisions, and those who never, or hardly ever speak, except to vote or second something. Influencing all of this is the Public Forum, often the starting arena for future meeting agendas.
The present council has all but run its course, elections are due in May, and word has it that the apple cart is likely to be upset with a whole host of new candidates rumoured to be standing for election. It makes the chamber quite a fraught place at present, five years of undercurrents of feelings, all about to burst, along with the obvious electioneering and ensuing conflicts as councillors jockey for position, along with prospective members attending public forums and adding more to the melee.
Quite a large agenda for this meeting, including discussion about the Museum expansion into the hallowed council parking area, and gritting of pavements and roads.
For me, the biggest item is the new Lyme streetlights, and the proposition from Dorset County Council to switch them off between midnight and 6.30am daily. Lucy Campbells observations even drew applause and cheers from the public, who were immediately admonished for their intrusion by Chairman, Owen Lovell. Lucy has a really good point: What is the point of having brand new lights in the town, and then switching them off when it’s dark, especially as the new white lights are lower cost anyway? The idea that only ‘essential’ lighting will be left on is puzzling, I feel that anywhere I’m likely to be out walking after midnight is ‘essential’, which in part was Lucys other observation, midnight is too early! This isn’t 1911, it’s 2011, and people of all ages are up late, and might even be out walking a hangover.
Find the meeting here:
http://www.livestream.com/civicchannel/video?clipId=flv_5c715ef5-3744-44e9-a76b-3c5d258ceb20&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb