Keeping councillors on their toes

As a Somerset County Councillor it is always interesting to attend a meeting of the full council every few months, if for no other reason than to remember to remove my nail scissors before attempting to pass security and gain admittance to Shire Hall, where the meetings are usually held.

Aside from my fellow county councillors, who are under obligation to be present, I do enjoy witnessing the passion and enthusiasm of those members of the public who choose to give up their time to pose questions on a wide range of issues, or petition us in relation to a specific cause. Very often the level of research they carry out in order to prove their point and influence decisions would put many of us to shame.

In recent months the key focus has been on highways, frequently related to the seemingly unbalanced relationship between developers and the local community, where it is felt that developers often have the upper hand. There are no easy solutions and any development will invariably cause inconvenience and disruption to some but the public do expect some relevant input from such statutory bodies in helping to assess the pros and cons of an application.  

On my way into Shire Hall I always try to engage with those bearing banners and placards. They have a point of view which I may not always agree with but I do defend their right to express it; unlike many other countries, we are after all a democracy.

On one particular occasion there were pleas to save out buses, where many small communities in recent years have seen a reduction or a complete cessation of the services they had previously enjoyed. There is the argument, particularly in these stringent financial times, that tax payers’ money should not be used to prop up unviable commercial services. 

On the other hand, many of those who choose to live in rural areas made their decision to do so at a time when they had every expectation that public transport would be available. They now find themselves isolated, even to the extent that they have no access to essential services. Some may be of the opinion that the clear option is to move into town, where access to services is not a problem. However, by forcing people to do this puts at risk the continued sustainability of the small village communities which make up much of the unique character which residents of our county find so attractive as a place to live and visit.

One solution put forward to me was that if the wherewithal was found to increase, rather than decrease, our bus services, then more people would use them, creating more income, therefore making the service more viable. This is an interesting thought but sadly on the few occasions I have travelled by bus recently I was the only fare paying passenger.

One other point raised was the issue of graffiti on public buildings. Its removal is costly and there is an argument that it is not the best use of public funds where such anti-social behaviour exists. One solution might be to consider following the example of Marseilles, and even Belfast, where graffiti has become an art form, providing a brightly coloured backdrop to our daily lives.

In the meantime I am grateful for the continued vigilance shown by members of the public which ensures that our elected representatives are kept on their toes.