Middlesbrough Council meetings suspended until JANUARY
- Thread starter newyddion
- Start date
Nobby_Barnes
Well-known member
Thought the Council meeting would have loads to discuss given the covid crisis. Why would they be suspended ???
TheLodger
Well-known member
Because the so called Independents are frightened to death of losing their paid chair positions, an AGM is due and a vote for chair positions is not looking good for the poor (Independent (Tory)) chairs of the last 12 months.
Nobby_Barnes
Well-known member
Sounds like self preservation before the needs of the the town if that's the case. Seems to follow a theme...
newyddion
Well-known member
How on earth are these people allowed to vote to keep themselves in a paid position whilst at the same time failing to carry out their duties?
Can we find out who voted in favour of this?
https://www.middlesbrough.gov.uk/mayor-council-and-councillors/councillors/councillors
newyddion
Well-known member
Forgive my ignorance.. we have 46 councillors did the rest abstain or are decisions made based on just 7 councillors? Also who voted?
They get paid attendance allowance don't they so do I presume they won't get any payments now until January?
I don't understand the process at all here, just like you newyddion. But if they cannot perform as councillors shouldn't they just stand down?
I don't understand the process at all here, just like you newyddion. But if they cannot perform as councillors shouldn't they just stand down?
newyddion
Well-known member
It's not even that they cannot perform as councillors. They have voted not to perform their duties.. until they feel like it. Outrageous. It seems like working in politics is the only profession where there are measures in place to protect you when you're not doing you job! This sort of behaviour just would not be tolerated in any other walk of life.
It is such a serious stage of the virus and there are going to be so many important decisions being made - and people need to inform as well as be informed of those decisions. Decisions that could be opening or closing a public park but could also be life or death.
newyddion
Well-known member
Andy Preston retweeted this yesterday.. then quickly deleted it.
"Councils need to respond quickly and make very many key decisions. They can now do so while remaining open, transparent and accessible to the public." https://www.gov.uk/government/news/councils-given-new-powers-to-hold-public-meetings-remotely
newyddion
Well-known member
Jon Rathmell (Independent Group Leader Middlesbrough Council) is certainly keeping on top of important bee threesome videos and is perfectly able to watch and share videos across twitter? Maybe he would be best placed to advise the rest of the 'independents' on how to participate in a simple zoom meeting. (it is my understanding that zoom 1 to 1 meetings are being held but there is a fear that broadband will run out if all 46 councillors participate.)
The council do not use ZOOM they use another system.
They do certainly have issues with their IT systems at present.
They do certainly have issues with their IT systems at present.
newyddion
Well-known member
Hmm.. pretty sure I could set up a meeting for 46 people in 10 mins online without having a background in IT. It's hard to believe these individuals do not have access to the internet and they do not have mobile phones.
TheLodger
Well-known member
It was a sub committee.
TheLodger
Well-known member
No Middlesbrough Councillors don't get paid an attendance allowance, councillors get a basic allowance which only increases if you managed to become a committee chair and that's regardless of attendance, that's been the case for many a year.
Second Mate
Active member
As an outside observer I would say a truly great town mis-managed by an absolutely awful council. just looking at the buildings they have destroyed against what has been built in recent times (not to mention the stadium area) they should hang their heads in shame.