PUBLICATION OF NOTES ON COOPERATIVE COUNCIL CONSULTATION

As promised, Lambeth Council have now released their notes on the Public Consultation which took place on the evening of 29 August.


The notes can be found at -


http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/CouncilDemocracy/MakingADifference/TheCooperativeCouncil/CooperativeCouncilCommissionMinutes.htm 

Sadly, however, the notes are very condensed and lifeless, and in no way convey the widespread (and unexpected) enthusiasm for the project that was expressed by those attending the meeting; nor do they record the many good (and often highly original) ideas that were put forward by those members of the public who attended and spoke. This is particularly disappointing, as -

1. Only five members of the Commission were present at the meeting, so, presumably, those ideas will be lost to the others; 
2. Those members of the public who attended and contributed may well be discouraged from participating in future meetings, as they may believe this to be another routine formal consultation intended merely to satisfy the requirement to consult: and,
3. Those who did not attend, but might feel minded to contribute to the discussion on the project, could be deterred from participating after reading the plodding and lifeless notes that have been published.

As I understand that more than one device was used to record what was said at the meeting, so it is extraordinary that we have not been presented with a better narrative.

David Prichard-Jones

CONSULTATION ON THE COOPERATIVE COUNCIL WHITE PAPER

On the evening of 29 July more than 80 people attended at Room 8 Lambeth Town Hall to discuss the White Paper.

Discussion was lively with numerous contributions from Lambeth residents, the majority of whom are actively involved in Third Sector enterprises in the borough, and, personally, I can honestly say that it was the most interesting meeting that I have attended in Lambeth in the past 5 years. We probably have a greater diversity of race and class, and our residents have a wealth of talent and experience, which is almost certainly unequalled in any other borough - although this is not always evident to those who attend its public meetings! However, immediately the discussion was thrown open to the floor speakers came out with an amazing variety of interesting ideas on how services might be more sensitively and effectively delivered.

Those attending were promised that full notes of the meeting will shortly be published on the internet, and, in due course, I shall be adding a link to the notes on this blog.

David Prichard-Jones

LAMBETH COOPERATIVE COUNCIL - MINUTES AND PAPERS OF LAMBETH FIRST MEETING OF 10 JUNE 2010

Mark Sweeting and I attended our first meeting of the Board on 10 June, when the principal item presented was the White Paper on the Cooperative Council.

Readers can find the Agenda and Minutes of the meeting, as well as the text of the White Paper, at -

http://www.lambethfirst.org.uk/00,document,3394,193,00.htm

While the White Paper gives only an outline of the proposals that have been put forward, it suggests the possibility of delivering service more efficiently and with more resident involvement and responsibility, and I believe that it is most important that Community Advocates should read it carefully and take part in the consultation process that has now begun. 

It is, above all, a consultation document, and informed comment will be essential to the evolvement of the idea.

David Prichard-Jones