We're in the middle of a chain reaction

22 January 2009

AS a Newham resident for approaching forty years I would like to take this opportunity to write about changes I have seen during the last decade or so.

I would like to start with the period involving the Green Street Partnership, of which I was a member.

The Partnership included local businesses and traders plus residents living in the immediate area.

We worked directly with council officers and discussed various projects, costings etc. face to face with the officers responsible for each project. These projects included the extension to Queens Market, Green Street repaving and provision of a car park, among others that required funding.

The Partnership came to a time-limit conclusion and we became involved with the newly-formed Newham Forums which included a democratically elected chair, two local councillors and an elected scrutiny committee.

We decided upon agenda, and various programmes were developed involving various council officers.

About this period the matter of having a new mayoral system was discussed, and it was explained to us that if the new arrangement was to come about it would be conditional upon the following structure:

1. The mayor elect would be limited to two terms only.

2. A referendum would be the only requirement to revert back to the status quo that existed at that time.

As we are aware, the new mayoral system evolved and we were led to believe that things would improve.

Let us examine what actually has taken place.

One of the first things to happen was the mayor forming his hand-picked Cabinet with extra payments of £30-40,000 per year to members for extra responsibilities, much of which was carried out voluntarily by forum members. The so-called responsibly carries no authority and can only be referred to the relevant officers with authority.

Another change was that in order to revert back to the old mayor system the rules were changed so that a referendum would no longer be a valid reason.

The forum found that the agenda became limited. The Queens Market development became sub judice and was not allowed for agenda or discussion, in spite of a petition by 13,000 people demanding the keeping of Queens Market and not being sold off.

A name for the old-style mayor was decided upon as 'ambassador' who was yearly to carry out civic duties (a post soon to be defunct).

The forums were disbanded and replaced by sections controlled by mayor-appointed councillors.

The only thing that has not been changed, as yet, is the original proviso that the mayor could not run for more than two terms. I doubt you could get any odds from William Hill on this being overruled.

I would like to suggest that part of the mayoral responsibility be extended to become head groundsman for West Ham United: after all, one cannot find anyone more qualified for moving the goalposts!

Finally, what has happened to the "suitcase in the hall" councillors: has that rule been changed too? - REG MILES, Beauchamp Road, Forest Gate.