Is this Democracy? No! It’s ECC Democracy
In a democracy, people have a voice.
The two elected ECC Councillors for Jim’s ward (Mincinglake) are Cllr Dilys Baldwin
and Cllr Ian Martin. Jim emailed both Councillors on 14th June. Having received
the courtesy of neither an acknowledgement nor a reply, Jim emailed both again on
13th July. Sadly, it is now October 2007, Jim is still waiting, and thus he remained
unrepresented while matters, highly detrimental to him, the Club and the community,
developed unopposed. All voices trying to speak in support of the Club were being
stifled. Looking at the history of this sorry affair, it is difficult to view the
effective passing of the Club as anything other than a City Council stitch-
Jim apologises for the playground analogy which might strike some as rather OTT, but he was anxious to make his point strongly. The time for euphemism is surely past. The text of Jim’s two emails is shown below. Judge for yourself whether Cllr Baldwin and Cllr Martin are justified in ignoring them.
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From: Jim Harle
To: cllr.dilys.baldwin@exeter.gov.uk ; cllr.ian.martin@exeter.gov.uk
Cc: cllr.val.dixon@exeter.gov.uk ; cllr.ruth.smith@exeter.gov.uk ; ian.cowe@exeter.gov.uk ; committee@summerway.eclipse.co.uk
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 5:10 PM
Subject: A Bullying ECC Email
Dear Cllr Baldwin and Cllr Martin,
Summerway Junior Lawn Tennis Club
The Club and I are currently experiencing some difficulty with democracy in Exeter. I sent an email to Ben Bradshaw MP on Tuesday evening, confirmed by a letter posted yesterday, which it will be helpful for you to peruse. As this is true for others, I hope to post the email on www.summerway.org before the end of this week.
One of the problems is that the Club is not being accurately or adequately represented by one of the Councillors elected for the ward in which it is situated. The other Councillor I have yet to meet. I cannot say whether Cllr Smith wishes to represent the Club properly until we have had the opportunity to speak.
Certain ECC Officers have refused to deal with me, quite unjustly in the view of many, and so that I am not entirely disenfranchised, I am appealing to you as representatives of the Mincinglake ward in which I live to handle a matter for me. While I appreciate that the Club is not in our ward, my proper approach to the City Council needs to be through you.
The matter I wish you to take up on my behalf concerns the email, which I believe is dated 11th June 2007, sent by the ECC Leisure Manager to a member of the Summerway Committee. Not having received an original copy, I am unable to forward this to you, but I am sure that you will be able to get hold of it from the Civic Centre. Translated into the language of the school playground, the email says, "Hand over your dinner money, or I'll smash your face in!"
Not wishing to have its face smashed in, the Club has handed over the dinner money. However, this wasn't right. Sadly, the staff seem not only to be turning a blind eye, but actually to condone such behaviour. Please would you take this matter up with the Head. If the Head is unable to deal with such bullying and recalcitrance, the proper course of action might be to alert Ofsted.
I am aware of the extent to which I have been misrepresented to Councillors, whom I have attempted to inform of the situation regarding the Club, and urge you to reserve judgement on my character until this whole matter is rigorously and properly scrutinised. I hope to be fully exonerated when this eventually occurs. I have a very positive and constructive outlook on life, and bear no one any malice. Ultimately, I hope to enjoy my former excellent relationship with the Council and its Officers.
Yours sincerely,
Jim Harle.
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From: Jim Harle
To: cllr.dilys.baldwin@exeter.gov.uk ; cllr.ian.martin@exeter.gov.uk
Cc: bradshawb@parliament.uk ; cllr.val.dixon@exeter.gov.uk ; cllr.ruth.smith@exeter.gov.uk ; ian.cowe@exeter.gov.uk ; committee@summerway.eclipse.co.uk
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2007 3:15 PM
Subject: RE: A Bullying ECC Email
Dear Cllr Baldwin and Cllr Martin,
Tomorrow, a month will have elapsed since I sent you the email copied below, and I have had neither acknowledgement nor reply. I appreciate that we are running into the holiday season, and that things are probably still moving behind the scenes unbeknown to the Club and myself. In view of developments, it may be a bit difficult for you to respond comfortably, but there are serious issues which need to be addressed.
I have been informed that Exeter City Council regard me as persona non grata, and told categorically that ECC will not deal with me. I think this decision requires very close scrutiny, and am fairly confident that it would prove to be entirely arbitrary, based in all probability on prejudice and an unwillingness to engage in full negotiations.
It is difficult to see how progress can be made while ECC regards me as unfriendly. That, I certainly am not. Regarding me as some sort of enemy is way off the mark. I have been given great cause for concern, and there are serious fundamental matters that need to be resolved. The sooner someone associated with ECC starts talking with me, preferably off the record for purposes of establishing a better understanding, the better. As my local ECC Councillors, who may not have been actively involved so far, you may well be able to make a constructive contribution to ease the situation. Should we meet?
Yours sincerely,
Jim.
(The email dated 14th June shown above was copied to the end of this message)