Perils of ignoring the electorate

Published: 20 May, 2010

• UNFORTUNATELY (for them) the Camden Liberal Democrat-Tory councillors fell quickly in the space of only four years into the trap of not listening to the voters and paid for it at the polls.
Ideology and actions on education and housing alienated the Camden electorate and protests were ignored. But perhaps most of all it was the ancien regime’s obsession with secrecy, whether this was about the large increases in pay for top officers, plans for mass regeneration of council estates and buildings (particularly in Gospel Oak), and the refusal to accept deputations raising legitimate concerns at council meetings which led to their downfall.

While it was true that they kept down the council tax this was frequently at the expense of the most vulnerable citizens.
Better it was for some but cheapskate for others.
Hopefully the new regime will now set up mechanisms where the citizens of Camden are kept informed, consulted and participate in decision-making.
We may have a new voting system in 2014 and politicians of all parties should be aware of the proportion of votes cast in 2010 for their parties, Labour 33 per cent, Tories 25 per cent, Lib/Dems 30 per cent and Greens 12 per cent.
Politicians and council officers ignore those who vote for them and those who pay their salaries at their peril.
MICK FARRANT
Oak Village, NW5