The Open Page 9 -(Mayor Making/Town Clerk) - Copy
20 May 2009
See the interesting comments below.Add yours.
It's open to one and all.
Sue Jones becomes
It was an interesting Mayor-Making evening at the Town Hall last night. Normally these events are done and dusted with little controversy and although Cllr Sue Jones was elected with a vote of 11 to 7, Cllr Gordon Cowan who had been previously tipped to be Mayor this term, was furious. He was made more furious still by a remark from Cllr David Lloyd who said we were all sick of "re-cycled" Mayors and from there went on to nominate Sue Jones. Gordon clearly took this as an insulting affront to the fact that he had been Mayor previously. 
The vote went ahead and Sue Jones had a comfortable majority. However she inherits a difficult mantle, as a substantial amount of the Councillors seem vehemently against her.
At the end of proceedings Gordon Cowan and his six supporters "stormed out", as one councillor put it. Yes, as we understand it, they had left the building in disgust and took no further part. Once again we have a divided Town Council.
Cllr Jan Tranter was elected Deputy Mayor unanimously. She was unopposed when Cllr David Hannent withdrew his nomination, so sailed through in a rather gentle end to a controversial evening. It is normally the case that the Deputy Mayor position is hotly contested. Not this time. Jan will no doubt put her previous experience as Mayor to good use in the coming term.
Cllr Diane Smallwood, stepping down as Mayor, was congratulated for her excellent performance in the past year. The popular Diane had carried out 300 engagements in her term, quite a staggering amount. Gordon Cowan thanked her and wished her the best with a " Well done Diane, I hope you will be 'recycled' at some time in the future!" And so the evening ended.
Top picture shows New Mayor Cllr Sue Jones on the left, and new Deputy Mayor Cllr Jan Tranter on the right, in relaxed pose after the rigours of the event were over. Good luck to them for the coming year! New picture added is of Mayoress Cllr Ronnie Philpott, seen here with her supportive husband Chris.
Below is a response from Town Clerk Mike Webb to the thread running in our Members Club forum section which suggests that the once vociferous Mike Webb has been gagged...
From Mike Webb....
Further to the recent interest shown on DoverForum concerning whether or not I am ‘muzzled’ i.e. not allowed to talk to the press, maybe a few comments will help explain how matters work.
I am guarded about what I say in public, since my official role dictates that my duty to implement the will of the democratically-elected full Town Council, to whom I am answerable. I am not democratically-elected, but appointed by the Council (ie the voters’ representatives).
Prior to Council decisions being made I am also advisor to the full Town Council. If however, the Town Council chooses not to accept my recommendations then my role changes to that of implementing their will, providing that I, as the “Proper Officer”, am convinced that sure that what is required is legal.
Given the above, it can be seen that, generally, comments to the media should emanate from the democratically-elected Councillors. This is why the Mayor or the various Chairmen or Councillors with special responsibilities are quoted and not the officers, of whom I am one.
However, I can assure you that there is no embargo on staff talking to the media. In fact, I encourage this where our staff have the relevant expertise to pass on for the benefit of the electors (for example, concerning allotment developments, the new Konik ponies on our land, the War Memorial developments, Horticultural shows, Christmas Lights etc..)
That I am not ‘muzzled’ is evidenced by the fact that the comments in the local press came as a result of a question that I answered, having been the guest speaker at the Annual General Meeting of the prestigious Dover Society.
Later that same week the Mayor and I gave a joint talk to Active Retirement. I’m delighted to advise that together we have made many such presentation this year to numerous groups ranging from various Forums to the Brownies and to Foreign Groups. It is good to be free to aid local democratic understanding, in this way.
One of the key aims for Dover Town Council is the need for transparency. In other words we communicate with the public as best we are able, hence the media is invaluable. This aim also explains the launch of the Town-Council-backed “Dover Life” magazine, which offers a high-quality product which has been so well received.
Despite the desire for openness, by and large the Mayor, being the first citizen of the town, should be protected from unnecessary controversy. This, where appropriate, is my role. One example of this concerned the erroneous item that appeared in the National Press about Status Quo. It might interest you readers to know that I spent a whole weekend, day and night, trying to stem the media flow and to put the story right. Clearly the Mayor’s name should not be associated with this type of activity. Accordingly, the letters that appeared in the national press all carried my signature as the Chief Executive of the Town Council. During this media feeding-frenzy many newspapers behave responsibly, listening and quoting me, over that weekend, in order to get the story right. Those who published inaccuracies were pursued through the Press Complaints Authority, where we won judgements against The Sun, The Evening Standard and The Times. Indeed, Dover Forum carried my statement, at that time.
Given the above, I am happy to confirm that I am not ‘muzzled’ in any way, other than through discretion and through making any political statements, which are not within my province.
I hope this clarifies matters, and engenders improved confidence in local democracy.
Mike Webb
TOWN CLERK
See the interesting comments below.Add yours.
It's open to one and all.
Sue Jones becomes
New Mayor
amid controversy.
It was an interesting Mayor-Making evening at the Town Hall last night. Normally these events are done and dusted with little controversy and although Cllr Sue Jones was elected with a vote of 11 to 7, Cllr Gordon Cowan who had been previously tipped to be Mayor this term, was furious. He was made more furious still by a remark from Cllr David Lloyd who said we were all sick of "re-cycled" Mayors and from there went on to nominate Sue Jones. Gordon clearly took this as an insulting affront to the fact that he had been Mayor previously.
The vote went ahead and Sue Jones had a comfortable majority. However she inherits a difficult mantle, as a substantial amount of the Councillors seem vehemently against her.At the end of proceedings Gordon Cowan and his six supporters "stormed out", as one councillor put it. Yes, as we understand it, they had left the building in disgust and took no further part. Once again we have a divided Town Council.
Cllr Jan Tranter was elected Deputy Mayor unanimously. She was unopposed when Cllr David Hannent withdrew his nomination, so sailed through in a rather gentle end to a controversial evening. It is normally the case that the Deputy Mayor position is hotly contested. Not this time. Jan will no doubt put her previous experience as Mayor to good use in the coming term.
Cllr Diane Smallwood, stepping down as Mayor, was congratulated for her excellent performance in the past year. The popular Diane had carried out 300 engagements in her term, quite a staggering amount. Gordon Cowan thanked her and wished her the best with a " Well done Diane, I hope you will be 'recycled' at some time in the future!" And so the evening ended.
Top picture shows New Mayor Cllr Sue Jones on the left, and new Deputy Mayor Cllr Jan Tranter on the right, in relaxed pose after the rigours of the event were over. Good luck to them for the coming year! New picture added is of Mayoress Cllr Ronnie Philpott, seen here with her supportive husband Chris.
The Town Clerk Speaks Out!
Below is a response from Town Clerk Mike Webb to the thread running in our Members Club forum section which suggests that the once vociferous Mike Webb has been gagged...
From Mike Webb....
Further to the recent interest shown on DoverForum concerning whether or not I am ‘muzzled’ i.e. not allowed to talk to the press, maybe a few comments will help explain how matters work.
I am guarded about what I say in public, since my official role dictates that my duty to implement the will of the democratically-elected full Town Council, to whom I am answerable. I am not democratically-elected, but appointed by the Council (ie the voters’ representatives).
Prior to Council decisions being made I am also advisor to the full Town Council. If however, the Town Council chooses not to accept my recommendations then my role changes to that of implementing their will, providing that I, as the “Proper Officer”, am convinced that sure that what is required is legal.
Given the above, it can be seen that, generally, comments to the media should emanate from the democratically-elected Councillors. This is why the Mayor or the various Chairmen or Councillors with special responsibilities are quoted and not the officers, of whom I am one.
However, I can assure you that there is no embargo on staff talking to the media. In fact, I encourage this where our staff have the relevant expertise to pass on for the benefit of the electors (for example, concerning allotment developments, the new Konik ponies on our land, the War Memorial developments, Horticultural shows, Christmas Lights etc..)
That I am not ‘muzzled’ is evidenced by the fact that the comments in the local press came as a result of a question that I answered, having been the guest speaker at the Annual General Meeting of the prestigious Dover Society.
Later that same week the Mayor and I gave a joint talk to Active Retirement. I’m delighted to advise that together we have made many such presentation this year to numerous groups ranging from various Forums to the Brownies and to Foreign Groups. It is good to be free to aid local democratic understanding, in this way.
One of the key aims for Dover Town Council is the need for transparency. In other words we communicate with the public as best we are able, hence the media is invaluable. This aim also explains the launch of the Town-Council-backed “Dover Life” magazine, which offers a high-quality product which has been so well received.
Despite the desire for openness, by and large the Mayor, being the first citizen of the town, should be protected from unnecessary controversy. This, where appropriate, is my role. One example of this concerned the erroneous item that appeared in the National Press about Status Quo. It might interest you readers to know that I spent a whole weekend, day and night, trying to stem the media flow and to put the story right. Clearly the Mayor’s name should not be associated with this type of activity. Accordingly, the letters that appeared in the national press all carried my signature as the Chief Executive of the Town Council. During this media feeding-frenzy many newspapers behave responsibly, listening and quoting me, over that weekend, in order to get the story right. Those who published inaccuracies were pursued through the Press Complaints Authority, where we won judgements against The Sun, The Evening Standard and The Times. Indeed, Dover Forum carried my statement, at that time.
Given the above, I am happy to confirm that I am not ‘muzzled’ in any way, other than through discretion and through making any political statements, which are not within my province.
I hope this clarifies matters, and engenders improved confidence in local democracy.
Mike Webb
TOWN CLERK
dover-film.com/2009DoverFilm