Topic ID 5474
Might it be good to be able to have some sort of formal "channel" on this forum, for posing questions specifically to our District and County Council? A section perhaps where moderated questions could be posed to our Councillors - with an understanding that they would endeavour to give what they see as useful and informative answers? Giving us more light and less heat? Is it technically possible, and if so would the forum owners be interested? And above all would forum members want it? P
Reply ID 76507
quote:I think councillors are contactable directly already.
Originally posted by Paul
Might it be good to be able to have some sort of formal "channel" on this forum, for posing questions specifically to our District and County Council? A section perhaps where moderated questions could be posed to our Councillors - with an understanding that they would endeavour to give what they see as useful and informative answers? Giving us more light and less heat? Is it technically possible, and if so would the forum owners be interested? And above all would forum members want it? P
Reply ID 76508
quote:I think you maybe right :-) Not really my point. P
I think councillors are contactable directly already.
Reply ID 76657
quote:I think I know the the answere to my question! Nobody - gives a toss :-) P
Originally posted by Paul
Might it be good to be able to have some sort of formal "channel" on this forum, for posing questions specifically to our District and County Council? A section perhaps where moderated questions could be posed to our Councillors - with an understanding that they would endeavour to give what they see as useful and informative answers? Giving us more light and less heat? Is it technically possible, and if so would the forum owners be interested? And above all would forum members want it? P
Reply ID 76658
I would want it, I think it is quite a good idea. I have contacted various public officers directly on a couple of matters(and was not ignored by any of them) and it would be nice to see if others shared my issue. However one of my issues I would not have wanted made public so I would not have used this facility at all.
Reply ID 76659
This is a privately owned website. The people who read it and contribute to its forums don't own it, its owners can run it how they like and while we can make suggestions, there's no point getting annoyed if we're ignored! Like all councils, East Herts and HCC are trying to allow taxpayers to 'have their say'. They pay lots of officers whose job it is to make the councils accessible and transparent and facilitate an answer to our queries. I've never had a problem getting a reply from my councillors or raising problems with the councils (although I usually don't like the answers!). I think a website section such as you describe would be tricky to set up and moderate and isn't what people click on hertford.net for.
Reply ID 76660
Thanks Kateg28 Here is the sort of question that might benefit from a public answer by the council on this forum. (from Traffic and Parking/Multi-Storey Closure) P
quote:-----------------------------------
I've heard that the council were going to move a load of employees to Hertford but realised there might be a problem because of parking. So I believe they have started looking at taking a WHOLE FLOOR of Gascoyne Way and allocating it to Council employees only. This hearsay. Can anyone corroborate it?
quote:
Originally posted by Kateg28
I would want it, I think it is quite a good idea. I have contacted various public officers directly on a couple of matters(and was not ignored by any of them) and it would be nice to see if others shared my issue. However one of my issues I would not have wanted made public so I would not have used this facility at all.
Reply ID 76668
Hi Paul My experience of politicians local and national is that that they don't like being held publicly accountable on any and every decision they make. Even at election time, they are reluctant to engage on specific topics and interact with a audience in anything other than very limited, highly managed and controlled events. At the last general election, I tried to use this forum as an online hustings for the candidates. The idea was met with much the same apathy, cynicism and brickbats from the regulars that you have encountered and the mainstream candidates generally weren't interested either. They rely on their party branding rather than strength of argument, character and vision to win votes. However, the forum can perform a useful role in local democracy. It does seem to be monitored by the local press and some stories are picked up. Local newspapers are no longer able to send reporters out to look for stories, they don't send reporters to the local courts nor to council meetings. Local people who believe that authority must be held accountable to the public can take a hobby-issue and report its progress by starting a thread. The reality is that if you have a question or an issue to raise then you will have to do the leg work and tackle the matter yourself. Posting publicly here, each step you take and reporting the response or lack thereof, may whip some local interest. Whatever the outcome, even if the regulars appear only to be interested in house prices and which restaurant serves the best steak, you'll be doing the community a very valuable service.
Reply ID 76671
Some places do get local groups running, but usually single issue things - like the save the hospital group in Kidderminster that eventually returned an MP to Westminster. It would be difficult to see a Brown Bin Maggot MP, or a We've got too many hairdressers MP. News and opinion on this forum is sometimes reflected in local press and until there is a critical mass of public opinion on here, it will remain one of many places that talks about local issues. (I'm being delicate by using the word 'reflected')
Reply ID 76672
quote:Why not ask the council directly?
Originally posted by Paul
Thanks Kateg28 Here is the sort of question that might benefit from a public answer by the council on this forum. (from Traffic and Parking/Multi-Storey Closure) Pquote:
I've heard that the council were going to move a load of employees to Hertford but realised there might be a problem because of parking. So I believe they have started looking at taking a WHOLE FLOOR of Gascoyne Way and allocating it to Council employees only. This hearsay. Can anyone corroborate it?
Reply ID 76681
Maybe someone has. Maybe ten people who read this have, each receiving a separate answer from the council. Leaving the rest of us worry about what the parking outcome will be. Why not get one genuine answer from "the horse's mouth" so we can all move on. P
quote:
Originally posted by Stevequote:Why not ask the council directly?
Originally posted by Paul
Thanks Kateg28 Here is the sort of question that might benefit from a public answer by the council on this forum. (from Traffic and Parking/Multi-Storey Closure) Pquote:
I've heard that the council were going to move a load of employees to Hertford but realised there might be a problem because of parking. So I believe they have started looking at taking a WHOLE FLOOR of Gascoyne Way and allocating it to Council employees only. This hearsay. Can anyone corroborate it?
Reply ID 76683
Surely councillors are able to post on here if they wanted to already.
quote:
Originally posted by Paul
Maybe someone has. Maybe ten people who read this have, each receiving a separate answer from the council. Leaving the rest of us worry about what the parking outcome will be. Why not get one genuine answer from "the horse's mouth" so we can all move on. Pquote:
Originally posted by Stevequote:Why not ask the council directly?
Originally posted by Paul
Thanks Kateg28 Here is the sort of question that might benefit from a public answer by the council on this forum. (from Traffic and Parking/Multi-Storey Closure) Pquote:
I've heard that the council were going to move a load of employees to Hertford but realised there might be a problem because of parking. So I believe they have started looking at taking a WHOLE FLOOR of Gascoyne Way and allocating it to Council employees only. This hearsay. Can anyone corroborate it?
Reply ID 76684
quote:Maybe the Mercury asked the question and printed the answer in the newspaper. Perhaps something along the lines of: "In preparation for the move of our staff from Bishops Stortford to Hertford, we're considering different ways of working for staff, including mobile and home working. We are also looking at how we can reduce our carbon footprint by introducing car sharing schemes and encouraging green travel wherever possible. As part of the process, we will need to provide overflow parking. Any need to provide overflow parking will be considered as part of our district-wide transport and parking strategy"
Originally posted by Paul
Maybe someone has. Maybe ten people who read this have, each receiving a separate answer from the council. Leaving the rest of us worry about what the parking outcome will be. Why not get one genuine answer from "the horse's mouth" so we can all move on. Pquote:
Originally posted by Steve
Why not ask the council directly?