Subj:Re: Exit Interview
Date:19/12/2002 12:44:32 GMT Standard Time
From:<A HREF="mailto:TreesonBC@xxxx.com">TreesonBC@xxxx.com</A>
Reply-to:<A HREF="mailto:uktc@xxxxxxxxx.co.uk">uktc@xxxxxxxxx.co.uk</A>
To:<A HREF="mailto:uktc@xxxxxxxxx.co.uk">uktc@xxxxxxxxx.co.uk</A>
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Subj:RE: Exit Interview
Date: 18/12/2002 12:48:11 GMT Standard Time
From:<A
HREF="mailto:Jonathan.Tesh@xxxxxxxxxx.gov.uk">Jonathan.Tesh@xxxxxxxxxx.gov.uk</A>
<If you consult and expose your views/plans, etc. to the public, then you
are
Entitled to assume that NIL responses mean no particular objections.>
I'm not so sure about this. Despite the efforts made to publicise, LAs
are
often faced with the accusation that their consultation exercise was not
extensive enough.
However extensive the consultation there will always be those who will
criticise. Many of these people were in a position to comment but did not
for a variety of reasons. Their reactions are often annoyance that they
failed to comment. Also, there will always be those who do not comment
because they think (rightly or wrongly) that they will have a later chance.
If the matter gets to the political level then one can expect the truth to
fly out the window as points have to be scored, opponents to be rubbished,
etc
Also, our TOs in Leisure Services have just been hauled
over the coals for informing residents that a non-response to Council
proposals to fell an avenue of street trees would automatically be deemed
to
count as a 'yes' vote. I think it was this approach that riled the
residents
more than the felling (which went ahead on a very low response rate). Oh!
what to do...?
I would assume that 'no comment' means 'yes', but it surely must mean 'not
interested.' If it was an elected councillor who hauled your colleagues
over
the coals that really is pot and kettle. How many of those were elected by
a
majority of the electorate rather than a majority of the voters?
I don't claim it is easy. Very much the opposite. As an ex-civil servant
I
know well that all public servants of underworld, overpaid, and incompetent
in the eyes of the public.
Peter Bridge
