Who governs Fenland District Council?

12.00.00pm GMT Fri 1st Jan 2010

In February 1974 the Tory Prime Minister, Edward Heath, called a general election over the issue "Who governs Britain?". The resounding answer came back "Not you", and he lost that election.

Many people now ask the question "Who governs Fenland District Council?". Is it controlled, as it should be, by the elected Members? Or are the officers employed to manage it the actual decision makers? Are our local Fenland District Councillors merely puppets, who allow the officers to pull the strings?

This issue has reared its ugly head again, with the report in the Cambs Times that the Chief Executive has reported a senior Member of Cabinet to the Standards Board for England for allegedly questioning in a private email the will of officers to provide Chatteris leisure facilities. The email is quoted as saying: "Fenland District Council is dragging its feet on providing a leisure centre for Chatteris" and urged "some consideration for Chatteris, and no blockage this time from officers".

Cambs Times also reports a senior councillor saying "A lot of members feel Mr Pilsbury in particular is more or less running the council and is all powerful and cannot be touched. In many respects it should be the councillors setting the agenda, and not the other way round. Back bench members I've spoken to say that they are not given enough information and often only find out things through the press. The Council needs to be much more transparent with its rank and file members".

This leaked Conservative email goes on to conclude that unless something is done soon "we (Conservatives) in Chatteris are facing electoral wipe out".

This hits the nail right on the head. The four Tory Chatteris District Councillors need to pull their fingers out, and even if the officers are kicking and screaming, force them to start to address the disgraceful lack of 'pay and play' leisure provision in Chatteris. Otherwise, come the next election, and people ask "Who governs Chatteris?", the resounding answer will come back "NOT YOU!"