“It's a Sham” Lin Patterson Walks out of Bath City Forum

 

“It's a Sham” 

 

Bath City Forum is a relatively new creation still finding its feet. The original idea was to give the people of Bath a voice in the governance of the City. I walked out in anger over the quashing of a proposal that the Forum ask Ben Howlett, MP, to vote against any national budget that would hurt Bath. 

 

The national cuts are biting deep, and pressure on the council is increasing. But one Forum member said the proposal to ask Ben to vote against a harmful budget was ‘political posturing’. Ben Howlett said he would vote for the Conservative national budget no matter what, and even said “You could end up having the lead council governing party packing the Forum with people that will only agree with their view.” I answered, “Is that a threat?”

 

Although the Forum proposal had been seconded, it was not put to a vote on the grounds there was not time to more fully debate it. At that point I walked out saying “This is a sham, a total sham.” What use is a Forum where the people and their elected representatives cannot vote on the basis of their political view?

Lin Patterson

Councillor for Lambridge Ward