Weird experience
June 8, 2000 12:00 AM
By Cllr Ray Fincher, Liberal Democrat Group Leader in Feltham Chronicle/Hounslow Chronicle
By Cllr Ray Fincher, Liberal Democrat Group Leader in Feltham Chronicle/Hounslow Chronicle
A funny thing happened to me on the way to the forum at the Civic Centre on Tuesday evening.
As my chariot / Fiesta trotted from Hanworth, a feeling of unreality spread through my mind. Yes, dear reader, even more than usual!
Here I was, leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, going to be present at the all-powerful and secretive senate of all Hounslow, entirely populated by the all-dominating tribe called 'Labour Executive'.
Is this the end of civilisation as we know it, I hear you cry? Well, no it isn't, in fact it is some small good news on the council front and boy don't we need it? I am a sceptic when it comes to Blair's Better Local Government scenario, most of which I regard as badly thought out, destroying the good with the less good.
However, we are committed to working with the new structures in people's best interest, hoping that the set-up will be allowed to change as dictated by experience. On Tuesday I was happy to present to the Executive the first ever report of a scrutiny panel, this one being education scrutiny which detailed the work carried out in its first six months of existence.
What is most encouraging is that as chairman I have the privilege of playing a part with councillors of both the other parties and as yet I have not had to call for a vote during any of our procedures to date. The cross-party co-operation has been welcome. Inevitably we will have differing views or priorities, but the omens are good for progress. We have already brought to the Executive's notice an apparent under-achievement, noted by Ofsted, in Information and Community Technology teaching in many Hounslow schools. We have requested that a statement details a plan to improve support for teachers at both primary and secondary levels in this important subject.
We wait with hope and bated breath.
What would you like to do next?
-
Subscribe for updates
Follow the party's activity on...
- Twitter:
- Liberal Democrats
- Facebook:
- Liberal Democrats
- YouTube:
- Liberal Democrats