http://www.nalc.gov.uk/library/publications/801-good-councillors-guide/file
I am pleased the revised good Councillor guide includes a section about the general power of competence.
When Oakham Town Council introduced the Chairman then Alf Dewis and the Clerk
led members to believe it gave the council the power to do anything it wanted to do.
I am not sure why Oakham Town Council adopted the new act, they have never
used it lawfully if the broke the law the Clerk or Alf would say we can do it
because the act permits it. Well it does not and they would never take notice
of me. Shockingly the Clerk even went on a days training as required before the
council adopted the act.
An extract from the guide which confirms when I raised my concerns at meetings
Alf Dewis and the Clerk were wrong.
A council must do what the law requires it to do.
• A council may do only what the law says it may do.
• A council cannot do anything unless permitted by legislation.
The crucial question is – does the council have a legal power to act?
A council must always ask this question when making a decision, especially if it involves public money.
In April 2012, the Government introduced the general power of competence for eligible local councils.
The general power of competence is designed to make it easier for eligible councils to act.
It is intended to permit eligible local councils to do anything that an individual might do, as long as other legislation does not forbid it.
As far as Oakham Town Council is concerned it was a pointless move by Alf Dewis
to wrongly persuade members it was needed.
We can't even run the basic things at the council properly, that needs and sure it will need
to be addressed before we could even consider taking on further responsibilities that
might benefit the town.
Currently I am criticised about my conduct relating
to the councils accounts and unlawful transactions. in a very old fashioned way
they say the issues should be dealt with behind closed doors, I disagree.
There seven Nolan principles apply to the conduct of people in public life.
They are:
• Selflessness: you should act in the public interest
• Integrity: you should not put yourself under any obligations to others,
allow them improperly to influence you or seek benefit for yourself, family,
friends or close associates
• Objectivity: you should act impartially, fairly and on merit
• Accountability: you should be prepared to submit to public scrutiny
necessary to ensure accountability
• Openness: you should be open and transparent in your actions and
decisions unless there are clear and lawful reasons for non-disclosure
• Honesty: you should always be truthful
• Leadership: as a councillor, you should promote, support and exhibit
high standards of conduct and be willing to challenge poor behaviour
By sharing my concerns about the accounts I am being open and transparent.
The money involved is not mine or any councillors it is taxpayers
and it is a councillors job to point out mistakes. In the past I had tried
to deal with unlawful activity in meetings and was excluded and bullied.
By putting my concerns in the public domain ensures this does not
happen again. Putting things in the public domain does work after the
local paper picked up on Alf Dewis's conduct he then admitted his
wrong doing at the next meeting and then spent the rest of the year
giving me hell, he should have resigned then but he did not and it
took spending £2600 of taxpayers money in audit fees to get him
to do the decent thing.
I am pleased the revised good Councillor guide includes a section about the general power of competence.
When Oakham Town Council introduced the Chairman then Alf Dewis and the Clerk
led members to believe it gave the council the power to do anything it wanted to do.
I am not sure why Oakham Town Council adopted the new act, they have never
used it lawfully if the broke the law the Clerk or Alf would say we can do it
because the act permits it. Well it does not and they would never take notice
of me. Shockingly the Clerk even went on a days training as required before the
council adopted the act.
An extract from the guide which confirms when I raised my concerns at meetings
Alf Dewis and the Clerk were wrong.
A council must do what the law requires it to do.
• A council may do only what the law says it may do.
• A council cannot do anything unless permitted by legislation.
The crucial question is – does the council have a legal power to act?
A council must always ask this question when making a decision, especially if it involves public money.
In April 2012, the Government introduced the general power of competence for eligible local councils.
The general power of competence is designed to make it easier for eligible councils to act.
It is intended to permit eligible local councils to do anything that an individual might do, as long as other legislation does not forbid it.
As far as Oakham Town Council is concerned it was a pointless move by Alf Dewis
to wrongly persuade members it was needed.
We can't even run the basic things at the council properly, that needs and sure it will need
to be addressed before we could even consider taking on further responsibilities that
might benefit the town.
Currently I am criticised about my conduct relating
to the councils accounts and unlawful transactions. in a very old fashioned way
they say the issues should be dealt with behind closed doors, I disagree.
There seven Nolan principles apply to the conduct of people in public life.
They are:
• Selflessness: you should act in the public interest
• Integrity: you should not put yourself under any obligations to others,
allow them improperly to influence you or seek benefit for yourself, family,
friends or close associates
• Objectivity: you should act impartially, fairly and on merit
• Accountability: you should be prepared to submit to public scrutiny
necessary to ensure accountability
• Openness: you should be open and transparent in your actions and
decisions unless there are clear and lawful reasons for non-disclosure
• Honesty: you should always be truthful
• Leadership: as a councillor, you should promote, support and exhibit
high standards of conduct and be willing to challenge poor behaviour
By sharing my concerns about the accounts I am being open and transparent.
The money involved is not mine or any councillors it is taxpayers
and it is a councillors job to point out mistakes. In the past I had tried
to deal with unlawful activity in meetings and was excluded and bullied.
By putting my concerns in the public domain ensures this does not
happen again. Putting things in the public domain does work after the
local paper picked up on Alf Dewis's conduct he then admitted his
wrong doing at the next meeting and then spent the rest of the year
giving me hell, he should have resigned then but he did not and it
took spending £2600 of taxpayers money in audit fees to get him
to do the decent thing.
