Southwark Council Assembly 16 March 2016: note Quietways by Cllr Darren Merrill

[@Woodwarde]

Interesting youtube video if you fancy watching local authority politics in action.

This is really on the theme of how our questions and issues progress from the DCC to Southwark Council.

Follow on questions/relevant questions for East Dulwich and other Dulwich Wards were raised at the meeting. These are interesting following the Dulwich Community Council Meeting of 15th March, where Quietways, the proposal for blanket application of Double Yellow Lines and changes to the authority of the Dulwich Community Council were discussed, amongst other matters. A very interesting debate on changes to the Constitution, the lack of consultation and transparency, takes place at Minute 31.50.

The Assembly is a forum where our local Cllrs put their questions to Southwark Cabinet members. They do this in advance of the meeting, receive a written reply and are allowed to pose one supplementary question. The original question and the written answer become visible to the public in the minutes of the meeting when they are published.

Southwark Council Assembly: 16 March 2016.

Available on Youtube

Questions to the Cabinet Member for Environment and the Public Realm, Darren Merrill.

See timing 20.35 - question from Cllr Mitchell on the Quietways

Further Quietway question at minute 24.30

25.36. Cllr Kirby re Townley Road

Constitution - proposed changes. See minute 31.50

[Loz]

@Woodwarde Wrote:

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> A very interesting debate on changes to the Constitution,

> the lack of consultation and transparency, takes

> place at Minute 31.50.

Can a council really change a constitution on the basis of a simple vote? I always thought a constitution should be difficult to change to keep councils from running wild. Makes a constitution completely pointless, really.

I've not heard a council debate before and I have to say, most of the debate sounded like a lot of immature children bickering. The mayor seemed to have no control over the meeting whatsoever.

I'm surprised that, not only did the councillor proposing the constitutional changes got away without due censure for her ageist, sexist and racist comment, but actually got a murmur of approval from the other councillors. Does the council not have a suitable discrimination rule/policy?