...Reply and Riposte...

Dear Cllr. Whitehead,

There is no contradiction in the comments, but rather the potential for a re-enforcement of the view that while the Council has by exclusion, made decisions, the fact that so little information appears to be available to the officers who responded to our queries, means that the plan has a very shaky foundation, driven more by political than altruistic motives.

It is quite possible that your second visit to the two remaining developers includes elements of the scheme that were previously excluded, but that just indicates that the Council changed its mind.

The matter of public exclusion from either the Working Group or Cabinet process is not an issue of contention (we happily accept that there will be stages that have confidential elements), the issue with the change is simply that it raises the public suspicion that there is 'something to hide'; after all why hide the decision process behind politically closed doors if there is nothing to hide? As an aside, what is the 'lifespan' of 'blue paper' material, before it enters the public domain?

You state that 'We do not name specific officers in such responses', however, historically specific officers have answered questions on issues related to riverside; so I see little to permit the current difference in attitude. For all we know, the author of the reply may not be an officer of the Council, in the same way that you appeared to be concerned that you may not have been dealing with a Borough resident when faced with the group e-mail address. If it makes you any happier, once known, the officer will not be identified on the blog, in that same way that I suppressed my address.

On the topic of a calm and ordered consultation process, you may find that a bit of advanced notice and a plentiful supply of factual information will ensure that this is can be achieved; springing the process on the public will not endear the Council, the process or the plan to anyone.

Lastly, on the Audit Commission report, we would like to be counted among the first to offer their congratulations on the outcome, but would also highlight the stated area for improvement of 'Ensuring the targets it[the Council] sets are measurable and focused on results that will benefit local people'

Regards

Richard Brotherton
(On behalf of the members of the Riverside Action Group)

----- Original Message -----

Dear Mr. Brotherton,

Thank you for your email. I detect something of a contradiction in your blog comments. On the one hand you have said ‘The Council has already made up its mind’ and on the other you are saying

‘Opinion - Detail is the one thing that this response seems to be very light on. It may just be that we are not worth a full answer, but I fear that the truth is more likely to be that there has been so little preparation, that the detail simply is not available -"...with the information that we have available to date on this project." - a bit scary really.

As I have said many times, the Council has not made up its mind – it is considering all the options. These will then be put out for further consultation. Until we know the cost of all the options we cannot consult. Until potential developers come back to us with their proposals we cannot rule them in or out.

The previous Working Group was not open to members of the public so the change to a Cabinet Working Group has not affected consultation at all.

Perhaps I can direct you and your readers to the report by the Audit Commission published this week in which Chelmsford has been assessed as an ‘Excellent Council’

http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=15676

Although this is good news it does not make us complacent – there is still much to do. Nonetheless, to get an independent assessment – and one led by a senior Liberal Democrat Councillor – is encouraging.

My major concern is that the public consultation process takes place in a calm and ordered way. The response from the ‘riverside development’ team is a response from the Borough Council. We do not name specific officers in such responses.

I am delighted that the public are becoming more involved with local issues. These are much more complex than the media would suggest and at a time of financial pressure I believe that when the financial details are looked at the public as a whole – not just Riverside users – will understand that their Councillors are working very hard to ensure that value for money is obtained for all the residents of Chelmsford.


Roy Whitehead
Leader
Chelmsford Borough Council