BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL

Did you see the letter in yesterday's Bristol Evening Post on the subject of the Lib Dems, "Local people know best". Below is the full text of the letter sent for publication.

"An interesting letter from D A E Fey “We may know best but the council has its own agenda” Friday 3 July. Seems to be a common problem with Bristol City Council, read on about our experience.

After months of frustration and lack of interest from Council officers I presented a petition and made a statement to full Council on the 28 April. Cllr Jon Rogers responded enthusiastically “I will be happy to investigate and you have given a very clear and detailed report about the problems. They sound like they have been going on for years and really that is not appropriate”.

Prior to the election, emails were sent and replied to instantly, “Our council is far too secretive about things, and uses secrecy as a way of avoiding problems and evading difficult decisions. My group want to change that”, “Ask for a briefing with officers, and ask if you could attend at a suitable time”, “Should the Lib Dems again form the administration this will be an issue that will be addressed”.

But after the election, it’s as though we were still attempting to get a response from the previous Labour Executive, no obvious change. Emails are now ignored for a week. Member’s letters are forwarded by officers a week after they have been signed and dated.

What is clearly apparent is that incompetent officer’s rule Bristol Council with a subservient Executive, irrespective of which party is in power. In our experience, the officers draft letters which members obediently sign, even though the letter is contrary to previous emails, members suggest meetings to officers rather than instruct the officer to arrange a meeting, with the result that the officers continue to do nothing.

For an Executive member to write “Because we are not experts, we have not arbitrated on the individual comments of officers and residents”, is not only completely at odds with “Local people know best”, it is an abandonment of the responsibility of an elected member and a betrayal of local people.

The Lib Dems now have an opportunity, all the hype and grand statements will mean absolutely nothing if local issues are not dealt with. In the current political climate such policies are being shown to fail on an almost daily basis.

In closing I must also refer to the letter from a council employee, Saturday 4 July. I don't think anybody who has attempted to deal with Bristol Council will be surprised by this letter.

From the top down residents face barriers to competent service provision and information release, from chief executive, to strategic director, down to service director. I am sure that an open plan office and joined up thinking will enable more efficient barriers to be erected. When I say more efficient, I mean more efficient at protecting chief and 1st tier directors".

Lets hope that the current administration can make a difference.