Minutes - should they include full motion & context, or not?

Question

I recently raised a motion, for the council to consider greater transparency and engagement with the community. I read my motion, which contained the full context of the difference between ‘communication’ and ‘engagement’. The need for stressing the benefits of greater collaboration was key to the motion to consider further measures in this regard, to attract new members of our growing community and strengthen the mandate the council has in decision making on behalf of those we represent.
I provided my written presentation to the clerk (which was not overly lengthy, well within the time limit one is permitted to speak and proffer the motion). Sadly I never even got a ‘seconder’, so no vote was taken. The clerk now says she will not publish the full motion, just the one line title and the decision.
is this fair? Given that I believe it is in the public interest for the community to see this example of the council being unwilling to move with the times and let the community have greater access and influence, as opposed to the Octogenarian council running the village like their own personal fiefdom.

Answer 1

If only local councils would spend as much time and energy actually doing what they are supposed to do rather than seeking ways to oppose those that 'encourage' them to do better we would all be in a better state.

No, of course it's not "fair", but this is classic resistance to change mentality which you will either have to hunker down and call upon your determination to implement improvement or you will have to give up.

All you can do is provide the example by which you would like to see improvement (as you describe) then, if you cannot bring the council along with you, do it on your own.  Start your own social media stream, publish direct rather than via the council.

It does work but it also takes time, determination and a thick hide.

My council now has a social media presence (lame as it is) which they had to initiate after I brought it as a motion which failed but since I started my own independent stream they had to play catch up.

Exactly the same with audio / video recording and then live-streaming council meetings.  Vehemently opposed initially and pulled all the misinformed and frankly embarrassing tricks to try and prevent - now live-streaming their own meetings.

If you have the heart and the stomach for it, and if you have tried (and failed) to cajole, take the direct route, do it yourself and they may just realise what they are missing.  More likely they will take a set against you though and call YOU the troublemaker so be prepared for that!

Set yourself up a personal page as a Cllr and post all the documents and commentary you want to...  You're perfectly at liberty to do so...  Good luck, stay strong!

Comments

Thanks so much for your reply.  It was as though you were inside my head in parts!! I am indeed already painted as a troublemaker, and have been from the very first moment I attended my first meeting as a councillor, last May. The chair and clerk absolutely can't hide the animosity they have toward me, and the clerk is manipulating one of the other councillors to fire the bullets she crafts.  The first point, question, after I'd delivered my piece was from this councillor, who asked how the committee would be administered by an 'already overworked part-time staff'.  Of all the things to bring up, she goes with that ??!!  At least I know I'm not imagining the issues, I'm not just being paranoid.  Its still very damaging to ones mental health, if I were to let it get to me.  I am growing a thick skin, these people are so awful, so blatant, it is beginning to just roll off me now !