Wonderful video as usual. Can I just say those people who made remarks about you running for council or in-fact to run the country, were I feel remarking on your brilliant common sense and your amazing ability to communicate. Do not put yourself or those people down by dismissing it with a shake of the head. We admire you because we can see your amazing talents but I for one totally understand why you wouldn’t contemplate doing such a thing. Thank you as always, sending you good vibes from Wales.
The fact that you speak truthfully and stand by the people is what makes you a better choice as a leader and politician, our society would be a very different place with more like your delightful self :)
Thats true…I used a a local Referendum….ask the people….the vote is holy in Swiss Law….it works very well. However, you have to a booklet with both sides of the argument. Unfortunately, these kind of local referendum has no power in UK law….just advisory….which means local councils ignore the results anyway 🇨🇭
I have to say quite separately that you have been a breath of fresh air insomuch that you have kept to the point, shamed them (councils and councillors) with charm and a smile and most importantly suggested alternative view points. A man ruffles feathers a woman has shall we say a different approach.
I had a dream last night… a few folk started walking through a Town. People looking on wondering what was happening and were curious, they asked what was happening, the folk walking said we don’t agree with the government. The onlookers said “thats a good idea” and joined the crowd, during the walk the awake folk talked about what was going on. The crowd got bigger and bigger everyone joined in and enjoyed the experience
that doesn't surprise me,you can only have a bike for sport type activities,they cannot be used for say shopping or getting to work as you come out of the shop/work and its been stolen,I used to bike to work, the 1st bike was stolen and the second the panniers,lights bell ect were stolen then the next time the seat!! had to do a 4 mile ride home standing up peddling,I gave up on bikes after that
@@joygallavan6790 Every bike my son had from a child was stolen. Like you, his last one that he got to go to and from work, was stolen in two stages. First they took the wheels, then they came back and took the frame.
My mum is in Eastbourne. She said that since the council changed the regular parking meters to ones whereby you pay with an app on your smart phone, the number of cars she's seen in th main car parks has stopped dramatically. Many retired people do not have or want a smart phone, so they are keeping away now. Like most areas , the bus services have been reduced and bad potholes have led to a couple of main roads being closed to buses.
@@CCCwatch Braintree has these awful machines in its car parks. Very often there is a que because they reject your card or "cant connect to bank" then a que forms, disaster. Previously you put your money in the slot and bobs your uncle. Then there is the total rubbish café culture that destroyed the market place to the point we barely have a market now. Now we have cycle paths spring up for the invisible cyclists.
I am from Lincolnshire, and a similar scheme was recently tried in the once bustling market town of Louth. From what l have heard, albeit 3rd party, it has been a mini disaster. No one really wanted it, and parking in Louth is already hard to come by.
Watched a interview hosted by Neil Oliver. Basically it boils down to more teaching of morals, honesty, respect & taking responsibility of one's actions.
I think we need a contract between the people and our representatives ( MPs, councilors ), that they need to sign and be bound by and a list of essential requirements for the community, which must have priority over any and all other issues. Should said contract and/or essential list, not be adhered to, said representatives should be subject to inquiry. The current system of being elected on a “promise “, is unacceptable and allows for unaccountable officials and a government out of control.
@@eliakimjosephsophia4542 ah right . Yeah that would explain the push to charge and the blatant ignoring of objections . Wonder if the 25pc includes some of their pay because it should .
@@itsmelampoi You are probably aware that councillors don't receive a salary. But all those executive staff do and they increase their pay to keep them. I'd be interested to know how much goes into council pension pots. We have three MPs, 9 County Councillors in 17 wards. 255 Parish councillors in 31 parishes. Sudbury's council website only lists 12 councillors.
Direct democracy is one solution. At L.A. level we need brand new thinking with new structures. and processes. I feel this will be beneficial at national level as well.
So, what you're saying is.... It's time for people in the local community to do what the council should be doing, but doing it the way it should be done had the council not brought in local sustainability measures to limit businesses and local footfall.
We the people ❤ The Colchester Constitution🎉 The Council Watch Declaration of Independence 😳 Greater Good a bit too Fabian if you ask me 🤮 I think all council meetings should be streamed live and uploaded to UA-cam/rumble etc. so Roc The People can have a chance to see what shenanigans are being voted for and by which councillors. ❤
I'm in Aberystwyth and there used to be a very successful, popular farmers market once a month, on the main pavements in town. They've now relocated it to an empty patch of land away from the town centre, and sales have plummeted. The council is also reducing car parking spaces around rhe town.
From the antipodes, I salute you. Exposing these freeloaders is the best way. People try ratepayer associations, but your idea of a regular email to ascertain voter preferences is a good idea. In my business days, I was a believer of 'management by walking around'. Keep it up.
As councils are very good at passing the book Saying we have to do this because It's been passed The County Council or it's come from government They need to name a person Because corporations can't agree or do anything as you know they're a dead piece of paper. So every time cancer say it's part of our policy they've got to name the person who gave them the policy then needs to be a kind of track and trace on these people these faceless unnamed entities
I was a Local Government Officer for almost forty years in the UK and overseas. I saw all manner of political systems and they all had the same basic failings in that they tried, and mostly failed, to aggregate local opinion in an environment where 99% of local people just aren't interested. I often attended public meetings where either no-one turned up or a horde of angry residents turned up to shout and moan (but rarely did anything constructive). One thing I would advocate for every council at every level - parish, town, borough, district, city, county and unitary - is for the Overview and Scrutiny committee to co-opt a number of residents who could genuinely scrutinise Council decisions and give them the power to set the agenda. So often I see Scrutiny Committees chaired by the ruling Party and therefore never asking the hard questions - why would they? Also, Monitoring Officers are pointless positions - despite their so called independence, what person would jeopardise their job and pension by actually challenging decisions? It's all a bit silly really.
One wonders how and why councils have such huge holes in their budgets, it couldn't possibly be that they are spending money on initiatives and implementing policies which have nothing to do with real council issues, say, for instance, "green" initiatives or "LGBTQ+++++" policies?
@@alp8409 Yes and the UN Agenda's 21 & 2030, 21 was failing to be met so they dragged out 2030, rejigging the whole thing and using the WEF to get their PPPs, Public Private Partnerships, the rot is well and truly set in now.
The problem is two fold. Many councillors have been there far too long and take their electorate for granted. The second problem is with officers who have their own agendas and give councillors very partial advice
Oh yes, sorry about that! Here are the links - David Kurten interview ua-cam.com/video/QDLC2TkPKBM/v-deo.htmlsi=7KFSqRrbvXmlEbLQ Eli Everyman interview ua-cam.com/video/iikOQ66UOPg/v-deo.htmlsi=ErqrxdkMH1MS1s5b
A form of local referendum on decisions that for instance involve major policy decisions or major funding decisions seems to me a great idea, the majority of us even us ancients have or are able to access smart phones or tablets and the local council or library could dedicate an area for residents to access the information if they did not have the hardware. It’s a form of direct democracy. But the thorn in the side are the employed officers they both hold the reigns of power and form policy they need reigning in and controlling and probably paying less but that’s another problem.
There are only 2 things needed to make any town successful, 1. Nice clean toilets 2. Plenty of free parking. After these 2 items everything else will look after itself. More people would be inclined to come in, in turn bringing in more money to traditional high streets and therefore encouraging further retail investments. So many towns have become shadows of their former selves. In turn the independent retailers also need to be more competitive against the outer town supermarkets. Great job you're doing Rachel, it's all much appreciated. There certainly needs to be alot of pushback with common sense at the top of the agendas.Best wishes from South Cambridgeshire. ❤
Yes, I fully agree that core expenses should be the starting point. Making the rest voluntary gives a loud and clear feedback on the nonsense. Then there's the old school view that statutes need our consent, especially where there's no contract. Even more crazy is that the 'tax' payments go to the government's consolidated fund.
Would be very helpful if the various Council Watch channels made the distinction whether the respective councils are town/community/parish or disctrict/county as they are different entities that should not be treated the same.
An individual standing as an independent in an election cannot describe themselves as anything other than as a member of a political party or as 'Independent'.
On her way to work today, my daughter saw that someone had used a slab from the recently constructed raised garden bed, not yet planted, to break into the local charity shop! Yet another use for the paving area the council have foisted upon us! I thought it would become a bottle throwing area! But, as you can see, I did not see this coming! So, I was wrong. 😱👍✅💯 It was worse!
Expose all these corrupt councils by what ever means possible. Investigative journalist and investigation by the people who know what's right and wrong. It's not just councils that are corrupt
I haven't paid council tax for five years. My moral reason is that I will not support a criminal organisation. ( I cannot do what I should be legally allowed to do because my Chief Constable "does not think it would be appropriate to prosecute in this case". My lawful reason is that I have taken the trouble to learn the REAL law. Councils operate illegally and unlawfully, (This is why I cannot get others to do as I do. It's because the people who moan will not take the time and trouble to learn the difference.) Just think -if a lot of people refused to pay the council tax it would become a public issue where many would be interviewed by the media. The people could then describe the criminal actions of the council which might force the corrupt chief constable to do his sworn duty and investigate serious crime.
Ah…..this made me smile……a lot ! Never mind a council of independents…imagine a small country almost the size of Wales governed by eight independent Member of the Legislative Assembly. It simply doesn’t work. Look in the South Atlantic😂
One problem often faced is apathy, yes some slight interest might be shown at an election time but after that, some assume that the voted-in individual will act for the good of the community and that is so often not the case. It is essential to have some education /information plan that puts local politics right in people's faces so that they can understand how doing nothing can be detrimental to all in the area. It would be useful to know who voted which way over what issue then you get to know who has to be removed.
An Independent was elected in Thetford last year, although I think he quickly decided that he wasn't cut out for being a councillor due to the system that exists. He didn't even complete his year. Plus it is a lot of work for no pay and most people have financial and family responsibilities.
Another brilliant video Rachel thank you. I think the two suggestions you made at the end of the video are spot on and I would like to suggest that under the freedom of information act we the public get detailed accounts of every council in the country to see what money comes in and what money goes out and what it's spent on. We might even be surprised that all basic essentials that councils should do are all affordable, and we find a cut in our council tax is required. 😊
Absolute power corrupts absolutely: "Councillors"; when Dr Zhivago returns to his private home to find that the Bolsheviks have seized it, and the socialist housing commissar scolds him. . . .
Incredible video, as usual. One thing though - seeing as you are all about transparency I would be interested to know who you spoke to - or who spoke at you - from the chamber of commerce?
I keep everyone anonymous in case I misquote them! Also, I want people to trust that they can speak to me freely - I suspect the person in question wouldn't actually mind me revealing their identity but since I've not asked if I can, I'm not going to reveal my sources! 😉
Make Saturday survey….with one question “What you think if The Council of Sudbury decides NO free parking (3hrs) in Sudbury? Three answer boxes a) A Bad Idea 2. A Good Idea 3. Not important ”….Survey: 1. From the shopkeepers…2. From the shoppers….3. From the users of the parking area, all these results will prove your point…probably 90% will say it’s a bad idea…Also….give the people who answer this survey….contacts info of the The Council of Sudbury (e-mail, tel.)….then….you will have a direct avalanche of hot bricks….on the heads of The Council of Sudbury. Publish the results of the survey in the Suffolk Free Press and other local newspapers. My opinion (I was born Sudbury)…this idea to stop free parking…is stupid and idiotic…thats why I left Sudbury years ago….they demolished landmarks…schools…they turn Sudbury to a collection of charity shops…It used to be a pretty country market town with quality shops and attractive pubs😔
As we have discussed before, anyone can stand for council and run a campaign for election. A roomfull of people is actually not representative. Does not mean you don't have good points.
I'm in Colchester Rural NE ward and I jave a choice of Tory, Labour, Green amd Libdem candidates seeking my vote on Thursday. The Tory is Darius Laws. Having seen his performances on your videos, he is eliminated from the competition. Of the other 3 candidates, all of them are signed up eco loons, apart from having lousy CVs. I simply can't see any one I could vote for.
Darius is actually against the eco lunacy - he has said he'll do scrutiny on the climate emergency if he's re-elected so there is that! But yes, I know how you feel - glad I'm away so won't have to wrangle with who on earth to vote for!!
The problem with councils, which I still say should be party politics free, isn't the lack of direction or focus but rather councils have too much focus and are far too involved in our lives. They need shrinking, they need only be concerned with the basics, bins, roads, schools etc, anything else is down to the local residents to stop needing nannied and sort their own affairs out. We are the only species on the planet that needs permission to do anything and have to pay to do so.
I’m not sure people would make voluntary payments for additional services like parks which have always been maintained by council. Interesting idea though.
I would if I knew it would definitely be spent on that item - at the moment in Colchester, 74p in every pound goes to Essex County Council, and what on earth are they doing with it? Certainly not fixing potholes!
It comes back to the same issue of relying on good people in time all political parties seem to get taken over and corrupted... we need something that's future proof and works regardless of who's running it...
In preparation for your Colchester challenges, i would guess that they are no nearer to " granting" you a date for the climate discussion, which begs the question, if they are unable to organise a date in a diary, it would seem unwise to " grant" them millions to spend on organising actions on a "climate emergency". Maybe worth asking them...
Were the council going to provide sou'westers for the coffee slurping customers of this proposed alfresco cafe culture, given the weather engineering we are now enduring? You've got some great ideas for reform, however, I'm afraid ultimately, if we are not to replicate past problematic scenarios, a significant number of people need to develop a higher level of consciousness. These will be the ones to take the lead, but with integrity and responsibility this time around. That's why people are calling for you to step into the arena, they see those qualities in you and the fact that you don't want that position of power makes you even more eligible! I'm heartened to see people trying to take control of their lives, as I do in the Council Watch videos and many other grass root initiatives, but we really do need to tread that sober line of enlightened individuals, choosing to work collectively when deemed appropriate and to be able to delegate tasks to representatives and contractors without losing sovereignty or control.
Independent does not mean 'Alone' it should be taken to mean free from governmental (ie party) directives.. An Independent Councillor should be free to vote in line with the wishes of the majority of their voters, their vote should not be swayed by 'external' pressures. The EU is run by the un-elected 'grey' hoard and this sinister system of control has crept into our councils. The 'Staff' must be put firmly in their place and reminded (as regularly as is needed) to advise and support - NOT CONTROL... Any officer who steps over that line or who is found to have lied in order to push an edict or party agenda must be taken to task and either retrained or even fired... On this point, the Independent Councillors must unite to eliminate the 'grey coercion. We enjoy diversity in our homes, we should strive for diversity in our local environments as well. A national uniformity edicted by one person is not where I wish to live.. My little town is full of history and diversity - it is known as 'character' and it is our job to direct our councillors to continue promoting and supporting this diversity for our children to enjoy. It is a human trait to enjoy power over others. This weakness has no place in our councils... Keep up the good work, and I love the idea that Councillors should all be encouraged to communicate regularly in a two way manner before meetings and votes.
Its all nonesense that they spout, I have now taken to watching more closely my local council meetings, I actually used to work with one of the councillors years ago, she too appears to be unable to see common sense any longer.
I really do hate AI, but I could possibly hate hyper-ego-type-council people more..... So another possibility is to have a form of data base system of local matters -> So local people put their main concerns into that data base (AI) thingy periodically -> then an alert goes out to all tax payers in the area to ask them to vote on the matter, perhaps hone into specific -> Then the action list pops up for the blue collar workers, locals ofcourse, to get the job done. Thus totally avoiding the big council egos ....I reckon that we could trust the blue collar workers, just to get the job done, far more than white collar workers making all the decisions. (well, in my experience anyway).
Being a Jock which regularly came to Sud I saw this wonderful ancient market towne bechocked with gentlefolk who prefered to move on wheels instead of perambulate. Thus the charm and glad throughfares were set low with meteled horseless carages instead of the normal too and froe expected of persons and burgers going about their healthy business and affairs with much safety. Low persons proclaiming that democracy is in perel due to imposition of tarrifs for staying ones carrage on the high street is disadvantageous to those who have ill consideration of the norms of custom and safety of those of infirmity, years and youth. F the cars - get a life. x x x x x
my town made the main shoping street car free years ago .the n put in pay and display car parks as well as opening a retail park . now half the shops on the highstreet are shut . it used to be thriving ! fight back !
People in cars do not spend more than pedestrians. This is proven to be untrue, in fact it's quite likely to be the reverse. Imagine three people who have the same shopping list to be bought in the same shops. Person A is in a car and does their weekly shop in one go. They are more than likely to make one impulse buy when shopping, this could be merely from the yellow stickered items but it happens on almost every shopping trip. Person B is a pedestrian and will not be able to carry it in one go and will have to make possibly three shopping trips for the same shopping, each time they are also likely to make impulse buys hence they will spend more than the person A. Furthermore Person A can buy in bulk thus saving money. Person C is a cyclist who can carry more than a pedestrian but probably not do all the shopping in one trip but likely 2 (unless they have a cargo bike capable of carrying more than the smallest cars). So they also spend more than the driver. This was proven in research done for Transport for London a few years back cannot find It is why pedestrians spend more than driving shoppers and unless you think impulse buys don't happen (in which case you are liar) is irrefutable logic. Unless of course you assume only rich people drive and thus buy more expensive goods, which says more about class bias than anything else.
If you do find the link to that report we'd be interested to read it. You say a few years back - roughly how many? Online purchasing has increased dramatically over the last few years, so the date of the report is important. Do you have evidence that proves rural shoppers are willing to come in frequently compared to city dewellers? If it's TFL was it London-centric or did the report go further afield? City shopping is very different to rural. In a lot of London, it's often easier to be on foot than in a car and shops are close, so yes, in those circumstances, I'd agree. Have you seen the comments in the Part 2 video and beneath it? Many people saying their towns were destroyed by the loss of parking and pedestrianising areas. ua-cam.com/video/XAlt-iwTWVo/v-deo.htmlsi=zYPPVtCkNm-uZfZB Are the councillors who voted for the Market Hill experiment willing to put their money where their mouth is and personally reimburse any businesses that experienced a loss of income due to the experiment? Also, the FOI to Babergh District Council states that no one had purchased a pavement licence - how exactly were the council proposing to have a 'cafe culture'? Would the councillors be setting up a tea caddy with some chairs and tables to fill the space?
Well done sister!
Wonderful video as usual. Can I just say those people who made remarks about you running for council or in-fact to run the country, were I feel remarking on your brilliant common sense and your amazing ability to communicate. Do not put yourself or those people down by dismissing it with a shake of the head. We admire you because we can see your amazing talents but I for one totally understand why you wouldn’t contemplate doing such a thing. Thank you as always, sending you good vibes from Wales.
Well said
Thank you Rachel
The fact that you speak truthfully and stand by the people is what makes you a better choice as a leader and politician, our society would be a very different place with more like your delightful self :)
Excellent, thank you. 🧡
Lovely bit of colour in your garden, 😊
Looking forward to your next video. Godspeed.
I think the Swiss have a system where the people can force the local and national governments to have a constituents' vote on contentious issues.
Government by Referendum in Switzerland,Good Sir!!!!
@@geoffhunter7704 I don't disagree with yor conmment I was highlighting the method by which the referendum was promolgated
@@andyp5899 No Worries,Andy!!!
Don't Switz people have guns incase their government turn on them ? Great idea .
Thats true…I used a a local Referendum….ask the people….the vote is holy in Swiss Law….it works very well. However, you have to a booklet with both sides of the argument. Unfortunately, these kind of local referendum has no power in UK law….just advisory….which means local councils ignore the results anyway 🇨🇭
Can the shop owners not sue that clown for harming their businesses?
Yes, in a class action lawsuit for loss of earnings, it's one of the points the paralegal put in the letter before action
@@CCCwatch delphi techniques. ... steered "outcome ". .as planned by "free choice "
@@CCCwatch excellent m'dear. Thanks
@@KRAKEN777-u7b Yep, for sure!
It would come from their own taxes=suing themselves
I have to say quite separately that you have been a breath of fresh air insomuch that you have kept to the point, shamed them (councils and councillors) with charm and a smile and most importantly suggested alternative view points. A man ruffles feathers a woman has shall we say a different approach.
I had a dream last night… a few folk started walking through a Town. People looking on wondering what was happening and were curious, they asked what was happening, the folk walking said we don’t agree with the government. The onlookers said “thats a good idea” and joined the crowd, during the walk the awake folk talked about what was going on. The crowd got bigger and bigger everyone joined in and enjoyed the experience
Good job, also news on cycling, sales on cycles are down to a 39 year low. David Kurten is a lovely man, watched that interview with you earlier.
David is the only person I'd vote for. He's amongst the very best of humanity.
that doesn't surprise me,you can only have a bike for sport type activities,they cannot be used for say shopping or getting to work as you come out of the shop/work and its been stolen,I used to bike to work, the 1st bike was stolen and the second the panniers,lights bell ect were stolen then the next time the seat!! had to do a 4 mile ride home standing up peddling,I gave up on bikes after that
@@joygallavan6790 Every bike my son had from a child was stolen. Like you, his last one that he got to go to and from work, was stolen in two stages. First they took the wheels, then they came back and took the frame.
@@paul756uk2 I've voted for Robin Tilbrook for Police and Crime Commissioner, hope he gets across the line first this time.
Remember to vote for Matthew Randolph for police commissioner in Gloucestershire when you vote on 2nd of May
Brilliant ideas and topics, i hope you get some acknowledgement from the council..
Well thought out way forward. Appreciate your time and wisdom about council reality!
Thank you 😊
My mum is in Eastbourne. She said that since the council changed the regular parking meters to ones whereby you pay with an app on your smart phone, the number of cars she's seen in th main car parks has stopped dramatically. Many retired people do not have or want a smart phone, so they are keeping away now. Like most areas , the bus services have been reduced and bad potholes have led to a couple of main roads being closed to buses.
I feel the same about parking apps - I won't use them either!
@@CCCwatch Braintree has these awful machines in its car parks. Very often there is a que because they reject your card or "cant connect to bank" then a que forms, disaster. Previously you put your money in the slot and bobs your uncle. Then there is the total rubbish café culture that destroyed the market place to the point we barely have a market now. Now we have cycle paths spring up for the invisible cyclists.
I am from Lincolnshire, and a similar scheme was recently tried in the once bustling market town of Louth. From what l have heard, albeit 3rd party, it has been a mini disaster. No one really wanted it, and parking in Louth is already hard to come by.
It is the same all over with Small Towns car parking reduced and or highly priced footfall drops dramatically,Shops close down for lack of business!!!
Yes I stopped visiting Louth.
Watched a interview hosted by Neil Oliver. Basically it boils down to more teaching of morals, honesty, respect & taking responsibility of one's actions.
I think we need a contract between the people and our representatives ( MPs, councilors ), that they need to sign and be bound by and a list of essential requirements for the community, which must have priority over any and all other issues. Should said contract and/or essential list, not be adhered to, said representatives should be subject to inquiry. The current system of being elected on a “promise “, is unacceptable and allows for unaccountable officials and a government out of control.
Very, very interesting comments in this video. Very much thought provoking.
Agenda 2030
Thank you for your continued great work Rachel and all others involved in holding the councils’ feet to the fires.
Thank you Rachel doing amazing things now
Thank you 😊
Rachel as all councils are corporations as is the uk government. Would this explain the councils "for profit" attitude. Love your work btw ,
As far as I'm aware, they are all working on the premise of a 25% cut in funding, so are doing what they can to cover their costs and not go under.
@@eliakimjosephsophia4542 ah right . Yeah that would explain the push to charge and the blatant ignoring of objections . Wonder if the 25pc includes some of their pay because it should .
@@itsmelampoi You are probably aware that councillors don't receive a salary. But all those executive staff do and they increase their pay to keep them. I'd be interested to know how much goes into council pension pots. We have three MPs, 9 County Councillors in 17 wards. 255 Parish councillors in 31 parishes. Sudbury's council website only lists 12 councillors.
Truly superb video - says it all. Well done Rachel.
Thank you 😊
Great, the people speak. No licences purchased.... Ha
Direct democracy is one solution. At L.A. level we need brand new thinking with new structures. and processes. I feel this will be beneficial at national level as well.
So, what you're saying is....
It's time for people in the local community to do what the council should be doing, but doing it the way it should be done had the council not brought in local sustainability measures to limit businesses and local footfall.
We the people ❤
The Colchester Constitution🎉
The Council Watch Declaration of Independence 😳
Greater Good a bit too Fabian if you ask me 🤮
I think all council meetings should be streamed live and uploaded to UA-cam/rumble etc. so Roc The People can have a chance to see what shenanigans are being voted for and by which councillors. ❤
I'm in Aberystwyth and there used to be a very successful, popular farmers market once a month, on the main pavements in town. They've now relocated it to an empty patch of land away from the town centre, and sales have plummeted. The council is also reducing car parking spaces around rhe town.
🙄
Good ideas, much respect for all your work on behalf of everyone.
Well done as usual an excellent example of great work well researched and presented.
From the antipodes, I salute you. Exposing these freeloaders is the best way. People try ratepayer associations, but your idea of a regular email to ascertain voter preferences is a good idea. In my business days, I was a believer of 'management by walking around'. Keep it up.
As councils are very good at passing the book Saying we have to do this because It's been passed The County Council or it's come from government They need to name a person Because corporations can't agree or do anything as you know they're a dead piece of paper.
So every time cancer say it's part of our policy they've got to name the person who gave them the policy then needs to be a kind of track and trace on these people these faceless unnamed entities
People would brick up windows in properties because they used to be taxed on sunlight shining in rooms. Hence the expression.... "Daylight robbery."
I was a Local Government Officer for almost forty years in the UK and overseas. I saw all manner of political systems and they all had the same basic failings in that they tried, and mostly failed, to aggregate local opinion in an environment where 99% of local people just aren't interested. I often attended public meetings where either no-one turned up or a horde of angry residents turned up to shout and moan (but rarely did anything constructive). One thing I would advocate for every council at every level - parish, town, borough, district, city, county and unitary - is for the Overview and Scrutiny committee to co-opt a number of residents who could genuinely scrutinise Council decisions and give them the power to set the agenda. So often I see Scrutiny Committees chaired by the ruling Party and therefore never asking the hard questions - why would they? Also, Monitoring Officers are pointless positions - despite their so called independence, what person would jeopardise their job and pension by actually challenging decisions? It's all a bit silly really.
Pyrocanthus perimeter hedge..... Now there's a thought, The cliffs of dover could use a little added colour! That'd slow the blighters down some!
One wonders how and why councils have such huge holes in their budgets, it couldn't possibly be that they are spending money on initiatives and implementing policies which have nothing to do with real council issues, say, for instance, "green" initiatives or "LGBTQ+++++" policies?
The same is happening in the NHS.
It’s all linked to the WEF Environment and Social Governance policies
£15 billion disappeared in fraud during c19 according to govern/ment figures👍
@@alp8409 Yes and the UN Agenda's 21 & 2030, 21 was failing to be met so they dragged out 2030, rejigging the whole thing and using the WEF to get their PPPs, Public Private Partnerships, the rot is well and truly set in now.
Oh Yes It Is!!!!
Sustainable development 😂
"Some councillors think they're God, just because they have been voted for!" 🤣🤣🤣👍✅❤️
Free independent is possible ...
Councils have no incentive to work in our best interest as we're forced pay their unlawful Council Tax demands under the threat of incarceration.
And council taxes for their pensions pay rises and expenses 😡
I haven't paid since January 23. Got 2024s cost breakdown with no demand for anything. Needless to say it went straight through the shredder.
@@jacksg1809 70% of it
Unfortunately the council tax is completely lawful.
@@StudentDad-mc3pu no it's not. Stop making stuff up without backing it up.
Keep making them accountable....
Make them democratic..
That Cllr Sandy Martin looks like he’s the sort of person that needs his hard drive checked, he’s definitely been compromised
We don't know if you could run a coffee shop but it's evident that the council couldn't run a car park.
😂
Oh, we love you Rachel
Thank you for your wonderful videos, amazing assessments and often entertaining presentation.
Your foist suggestion isn't that referendum, see Switzerland voting and political system? I like it.
i liked the pyracantha reference...lol
The problem is two fold. Many councillors have been there far too long and take their electorate for granted. The second problem is with officers who have their own agendas and give councillors very partial advice
No links to the two interviews? Please can you add them. Thank you.
Oh yes, sorry about that! Here are the links - David Kurten interview ua-cam.com/video/QDLC2TkPKBM/v-deo.htmlsi=7KFSqRrbvXmlEbLQ
Eli Everyman interview ua-cam.com/video/iikOQ66UOPg/v-deo.htmlsi=ErqrxdkMH1MS1s5b
You never should have doubted youself, you are excellent at this. Thankyou for the work you do!
A form of local referendum on decisions that for instance involve major policy decisions or major funding decisions seems to me a great idea, the majority of us even us ancients have or are able to access smart phones or tablets and the local council or library could dedicate an area for residents to access the information if they did not have the hardware. It’s a form of direct democracy. But the thorn in the side are the employed officers they both hold the reigns of power and form policy they need reigning in and controlling and probably paying less but that’s another problem.
Yay Gloucester! Looking forward to next video
Brilliant
There are only 2 things needed to make any town successful,
1. Nice clean toilets
2. Plenty of free parking.
After these 2 items everything else will look after itself. More people would be inclined to come in, in turn bringing in more money to traditional high streets and therefore encouraging further retail investments. So many towns have become shadows of their former selves.
In turn the independent retailers also need to be more competitive against the outer town supermarkets. Great job you're doing Rachel, it's all much appreciated. There certainly needs to be alot of pushback with common sense at the top of the agendas.Best wishes from South Cambridgeshire. ❤
Great work
Yes, I fully agree that core expenses should be the starting point. Making the rest voluntary gives a loud and clear feedback on the nonsense.
Then there's the old school view that statutes need our consent, especially where there's no contract. Even more crazy is that the 'tax' payments go to the government's consolidated fund.
Would be very helpful if the various Council Watch channels made the distinction whether the respective councils are town/community/parish or disctrict/county as they are different entities that should not be treated the same.
Yes, that's a very good point. I will pass that suggestion onto them.
So....a lot of the council procedures are now breaking Magna carta 39 😅😅😅 AND something needs to be done about it
An individual standing as an independent in an election cannot describe themselves as anything other than as a member of a political party or as 'Independent'.
Well said
On her way to work today, my daughter saw that someone had used a slab from the recently constructed raised garden bed, not yet planted, to break into the local charity shop! Yet another use for the paving area the council have foisted upon us! I thought it would become a bottle throwing area! But, as you can see, I did not see this coming! So, I was wrong. 😱👍✅💯 It was worse!
Good work
Expose all these corrupt councils by what ever means possible. Investigative journalist and investigation by the people who know what's right and wrong. It's not just councils that are corrupt
I haven't paid council tax for five years. My moral reason is that I will not support a criminal organisation. ( I cannot do what I should be legally allowed to do because my Chief Constable "does not think it would be appropriate to prosecute in this case". My lawful reason is that I have taken the trouble to learn the REAL law. Councils operate illegally and unlawfully, (This is why I cannot get others to do as I do. It's because the people who moan will not take the time and trouble to learn the difference.) Just think -if a lot of people refused to pay the council tax it would become a public issue where many would be interviewed by the media. The people could then describe the criminal actions of the council which might force the corrupt chief constable to do his sworn duty and investigate serious crime.
Ah…..this made me smile……a lot ! Never mind a council of independents…imagine a small country almost the size of Wales governed by eight independent Member of the Legislative Assembly. It simply doesn’t work. Look in the South Atlantic😂
They are obsessed with cafés and food !!! They are addicts!! Foodies . Here also 😢
One problem often faced is apathy, yes some slight interest might be shown at an election time but after that, some assume that the voted-in individual will act for the good of the community and that is so often not the case. It is essential to have some education /information plan that puts local politics right in people's faces so that they can understand how doing nothing can be detrimental to all in the area. It would be useful to know who voted which way over what issue then you get to know who has to be removed.
An Independent was elected in Thetford last year, although I think he quickly decided that he wasn't cut out for being a councillor due to the system that exists. He didn't even complete his year. Plus it is a lot of work for no pay and most people have financial and family responsibilities.
Another brilliant video Rachel thank you. I think the two suggestions you made at the end of the video are spot on and I would like to suggest that under the freedom of information act we the public get detailed accounts of every council in the country to see what money comes in and what money goes out and what it's spent on.
We might even be surprised that all basic essentials that councils should do are all affordable, and we find a cut in our council tax is required. 😊
These people who lied, will they be dismissed?
Misinformed, so no, very doubtful!
You can't buy that much if you're walking home! You have to carry it all the way! 🙄
Can you increase the volume pls😊
I increased it 200% anymore was distorting - so no, unfortunately, it's fine with a good speaker but I agree a bit low on the laptop inbuilt.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely:
"Councillors"; when Dr Zhivago returns to his private home to find that the Bolsheviks have seized it, and the socialist housing commissar scolds him. . . .
Incredible video, as usual.
One thing though - seeing as you are all about transparency I would be interested to know who you spoke to - or who spoke at you - from the chamber of commerce?
I keep everyone anonymous in case I misquote them! Also, I want people to trust that they can speak to me freely - I suspect the person in question wouldn't actually mind me revealing their identity but since I've not asked if I can, I'm not going to reveal my sources! 😉
Your idea is very good but I cannot see councillors asking their constituents what they would like. 😂
Make Saturday survey….with one question “What you think if The Council of Sudbury decides NO free parking (3hrs) in Sudbury? Three answer boxes a) A Bad Idea 2. A Good Idea 3. Not important ”….Survey: 1. From the shopkeepers…2. From the shoppers….3. From the users of the parking area, all these results will prove your point…probably 90% will say it’s a bad idea…Also….give the people who answer this survey….contacts info of the The Council of Sudbury (e-mail, tel.)….then….you will have a direct avalanche of hot bricks….on the heads of The Council of Sudbury. Publish the results of the survey in the Suffolk Free Press and other local newspapers. My opinion (I was born Sudbury)…this idea to stop free parking…is stupid and idiotic…thats why I left Sudbury years ago….they demolished landmarks…schools…they turn Sudbury to a collection of charity shops…It used to be a pretty country market town with quality shops and attractive pubs😔
The Highway are blagging it because there is always petition always. For anything and everything
Great video again ..the Jesse person seems to be slightly off track ..where is she getting her info from ..
❤️🇦🇺
Oh goodness, I've just seen the Sudbury Council logo, wonder who designed that logo, its the crescent moon and star!!!!!!
I've not seen it - will go and take a look now!!
As we have discussed before, anyone can stand for council and run a campaign for election. A roomfull of people is actually not representative. Does not mean you don't have good points.
Ooo! Cliffhanger!
Before the war there were the Taxpayer's Alliance
Matt Randolph may wish to consider living in the private, and not within the public like the rest of us do?👍
I'm in Colchester Rural NE ward and I jave a choice of Tory, Labour, Green amd Libdem candidates seeking my vote on Thursday. The Tory is Darius Laws. Having seen his performances on your videos, he is eliminated from the competition. Of the other 3 candidates, all of them are signed up eco loons, apart from having lousy CVs. I simply can't see any one I could vote for.
Darius is actually against the eco lunacy - he has said he'll do scrutiny on the climate emergency if he's re-elected so there is that! But yes, I know how you feel - glad I'm away so won't have to wrangle with who on earth to vote for!!
The problem with councils, which I still say should be party politics free, isn't the lack of direction or focus but rather councils have too much focus and are far too involved in our lives. They need shrinking, they need only be concerned with the basics, bins, roads, schools etc, anything else is down to the local residents to stop needing nannied and sort their own affairs out.
We are the only species on the planet that needs permission to do anything and have to pay to do so.
I’m not sure people would make voluntary payments for additional services like parks which have always been maintained by council. Interesting idea though.
I would if I knew it would definitely be spent on that item - at the moment in Colchester, 74p in every pound goes to Essex County Council, and what on earth are they doing with it? Certainly not fixing potholes!
How about the english constitution party standing ?
It comes back to the same issue of relying on good people in time all political parties seem to get taken over and corrupted... we need something that's future proof and works regardless of who's running it...
They obviously don’t have enough to do Rachael..???!…this is why they make this shit up..?!xx.
There might be some that could be learning that perhaps democracy has died in the UK, check out the stats post-local elections.
In preparation for your Colchester challenges, i would guess that they are no nearer to " granting" you a date for the climate discussion, which begs the question, if they are unable to organise a date in a diary, it would seem unwise to " grant" them millions to spend on organising actions on a "climate emergency". Maybe worth asking them...
Were the council going to provide sou'westers for the coffee slurping customers of this proposed alfresco cafe culture, given the weather engineering we are now enduring?
You've got some great ideas for reform, however, I'm afraid ultimately, if we are not to replicate past problematic scenarios, a significant number of people need to develop a higher level of consciousness. These will be the ones to take the lead, but with integrity and responsibility this time around. That's why people are calling for you to step into the arena, they see those qualities in you and the fact that you don't want that position of power makes you even more eligible! I'm heartened to see people trying to take control of their lives, as I do in the Council Watch videos and many other grass root initiatives, but we really do need to tread that sober line of enlightened individuals, choosing to work collectively when deemed appropriate and to be able to delegate tasks to representatives and contractors without losing sovereignty or control.
Independent does not mean 'Alone' it should be taken to mean free from governmental (ie party) directives.. An Independent Councillor should be free to vote in line with the wishes of the majority of their voters, their vote should not be swayed by 'external' pressures.
The EU is run by the un-elected 'grey' hoard and this sinister system of control has crept into our councils. The 'Staff' must be put firmly in their place and reminded (as regularly as is needed) to advise and support - NOT CONTROL... Any officer who steps over that line or who is found to have lied in order to push an edict or party agenda must be taken to task and either retrained or even fired... On this point, the Independent Councillors must unite to eliminate the 'grey coercion.
We enjoy diversity in our homes, we should strive for diversity in our local environments as well. A national uniformity edicted by one person is not where I wish to live.. My little town is full of history and diversity - it is known as 'character' and it is our job to direct our councillors to continue promoting and supporting this diversity for our children to enjoy.
It is a human trait to enjoy power over others. This weakness has no place in our councils...
Keep up the good work, and I love the idea that Councillors should all be encouraged to communicate regularly in a two way manner before meetings and votes.
My independent councillor is not a good person at all.He is part of the blob sadly.
You will be given the illusion of freedom for just that amount of time that it is profitable
Then 15 minutes and 🐛 😂🎉😢😮
Its all nonesense that they spout, I have now taken to watching more closely my local council meetings, I actually used to work with one of the councillors years ago, she too appears to be unable to see common sense any longer.
I really do hate AI, but I could possibly hate hyper-ego-type-council people more..... So another possibility is to have a form of data base system of local matters -> So local people put their main concerns into that data base (AI) thingy periodically -> then an alert goes out to all tax payers in the area to ask them to vote on the matter, perhaps hone into specific -> Then the action list pops up for the blue collar workers, locals ofcourse, to get the job done. Thus totally avoiding the big council egos ....I reckon that we could trust the blue collar workers, just to get the job done, far more than white collar workers making all the decisions. (well, in my experience anyway).
Being a Jock which regularly came to Sud I saw this wonderful ancient market towne bechocked with gentlefolk who prefered to move on wheels instead of perambulate. Thus the charm and glad throughfares were set low with meteled horseless carages instead of the normal too and froe expected of persons and burgers going about their healthy business and affairs with much safety. Low persons proclaiming that democracy is in perel due to imposition of tarrifs for staying ones carrage on the high street is disadvantageous to those who have ill consideration of the norms of custom and safety of those of infirmity, years and youth. F the cars - get a life. x x x x x
my town made the main shoping street car free years ago .the n put in pay and display car parks as well as opening a retail park . now half the shops on the highstreet are shut . it used to be thriving ! fight back !
People in cars do not spend more than pedestrians. This is proven to be untrue, in fact it's quite likely to be the reverse.
Imagine three people who have the same shopping list to be bought in the same shops.
Person A is in a car and does their weekly shop in one go. They are more than likely to make one impulse buy when shopping, this could be merely from the yellow stickered items but it happens on almost every shopping trip.
Person B is a pedestrian and will not be able to carry it in one go and will have to make possibly three shopping trips for the same shopping, each time they are also likely to make impulse buys hence they will spend more than the person A. Furthermore Person A can buy in bulk thus saving money.
Person C is a cyclist who can carry more than a pedestrian but probably not do all the shopping in one trip but likely 2 (unless they have a cargo bike capable of carrying more than the smallest cars). So they also spend more than the driver.
This was proven in research done for Transport for London a few years back cannot find
It is why pedestrians spend more than driving shoppers and unless you think impulse buys don't happen (in which case you are liar) is irrefutable logic.
Unless of course you assume only rich people drive and thus buy more expensive goods, which says more about class bias than anything else.
If you do find the link to that report we'd be interested to read it. You say a few years back - roughly how many? Online purchasing has increased dramatically over the last few years, so the date of the report is important. Do you have evidence that proves rural shoppers are willing to come in frequently compared to city dewellers?
If it's TFL was it London-centric or did the report go further afield? City shopping is very different to rural. In a lot of London, it's often easier to be on foot than in a car and shops are close, so yes, in those circumstances, I'd agree.
Have you seen the comments in the Part 2 video and beneath it? Many people saying their towns were destroyed by the loss of parking and pedestrianising areas. ua-cam.com/video/XAlt-iwTWVo/v-deo.htmlsi=zYPPVtCkNm-uZfZB
Are the councillors who voted for the Market Hill experiment willing to put their money where their mouth is and personally reimburse any businesses that experienced a loss of income due to the experiment?
Also, the FOI to Babergh District Council states that no one had purchased a pavement licence - how exactly were the council proposing to have a 'cafe culture'? Would the councillors be setting up a tea caddy with some chairs and tables to fill the space?
Oh, in Portugal?
Nope! 😉
Drat, ...but that wall switch .Somewhere more exotic?
@@richardcampbell1549 there's a one word clue in the video! 😉
Are you proposing a cooperative ?
At this moment I'm not proposing anything, just at the brainstorming stage...