Posting to the Walthamstow Yahoo Group in response to a complaint about my attitude to the Council.
> "Your viewpoint *always* seems to be "the council are great, stop knocking them". I don't think that's an appropriate stance for anyone who lives in LBWF, let alone a resident chair of a Community Council. … consider more closely how you answer residents' anger/issues with the council. If you were more prepared to stand up and voice residents' concerns to the council, rather than answering each time for the council, I believe we'd have a stronger Community Council, with better turnout that was more engaging."
(PH) Two principles I aspire to:
[1] The Chair should be neutral, and not to speak for anyone. The Chair's job is to make the meeting *process* work effectively, without intervening in the content. (O well, I did say "aspire"…). That's why I resist the temptation to weigh in with my own comments – my job is to give others that chance. After the meeting, with the help of the support team I press for questions to be answered fully, and concerns properly addressed. I'm currently trying to win support for a couple of initiatives which I believe will widen access to, and visibility of, the CC process.
[2] The process only delivers when discussion focuses on issues, rather than individuals, groups, parties or organisations. I believe that criticising individuals (even hopeless ones) achieves nothing. If some officer or councillor creates a disaster (whether through incompetence or villainy) personal criticism only diverts attention from what we need to do to put things right or at least learn from the fault. Such attacks are easily shrugged off and discounted. Concentrate on the issues and we might change something. I've actually been just as ready to condemn personal attacks on residents (so far only from other residents) as I have on officers, and I publicly blasted (excessively) one poor councillor when I realised (way, way too late) that the current squabble was based on party lines. These incidents are less common than vitriol against officers, councillors or the Council itself, so I can understand how you might have come to see me as a council stooge. But why would I do that?
Philip Herlihy
Community Chair,
Walthamstow West Community Council