Kensington and Fairfield Neighbourhood Committee, September 2006

I suppose part of me is glad really that few residents turned up on Monday night.

The hysterical, inaccurate rantings by the two LibDem councillors that I am forced to serve with were disturbing and the fewer people that heard them, the better.

For instance two NHS professionals from Liverpool Primary Care Trusts turned up to talk to us about a debate into health services provided in local clinics, dentists etc (NOT hospitals)

Councillor Marbrow gave us a long rant about hospitals which was totally irrelevant and embarassed all those of us there by slagging off the GP who addressed us just because he came from Garston and somehow that did not entitle him to talk to us about Liverpool services. Go figure

Councillor Doran gave us a raft of rants, the most worrying of all was that Councillors are not responsible for and can do nothing about
1. speeding cars
2. anti-social behaviour
3. tenants of private landlords

I did point out all the options available to the Council for addressing traffic calming and traffic management through speed bumps, lighting, road design etc
I talked about the terrific work of the anti-social behaviour units based within the council
and I spoke at some length about my campaign to introduce the selective licensing of private landlords into K&F through new legislation introduced in the Labour Government's Housing Act. Sadly both chose this time to barrack and speak loudly to each other, rather than listen, nothing new there then!

There were excruciating moments when the representative of 2020 tried to explain plans for the development of Edge Lane - you didnt have to care for the scheme to give the man some room to at least explain without being subjected to personal attacks.

When we started to talk about the vitally important subject of tackling prostitution in Sheil Road, the pair subjected the police and the people who work with prostitutes to tackle their drug problems and try to rehabilitate them, to dreadful loud and systematic abuse. The police and the support workers were visibly angered by the sloppy, rude and ill-informed contributions of the two LibDem councillors

How do they expect to work with the police, with officers (staff) of the council, with agencies designed to solve societies problems, if they cannot even manage a bit of common civility in their dealings? If I was a local police officer for instance, I would not rush to work with people who addressed me publicly with such contempt.

There is a golden rule within the code of conduct for Councillors that says you should never publicly criticise officers because they are not free to respond. It is an offence which could be reported to the powers that be, the Standards Board, nationally.

These two trample all over that code, Cllr Doran at one point told officers they "would be toast" if they did not do things his way, not exactly professional is it?

How can these people expect to represent 10000 people if they alienate all those they should be working with for a common good?

They should resign, but dont hold your breath