Why the undemocratic and bullying attitude towards local people?

• I COULD not agree more with your Comment (It’s dangerous to make a mockery of consultation, July 7) – consultation is a misnomer with Camden. 

“Consultation” should read “dictation”. 

Take the recent cuts proposal. All the councillors mouthed off their opposition against them, then proceeded in public and in private to vote in favour of cuts using the lame excuse of “no choice”. They could have all resigned on mass in protest but then their lucrative expenses would be lost.

A good example of “consultation” is this issue over the proposed Integrated Reception System digital service. 

A decision was made in 2007 with so-called consultation on the implementation of a system that is highly expensive and now arguably well out of date. 

I for one was never “consulted” and after researching the matter I discovered nor were many leaseholders and tenants in the borough. 

The council claim that out of thousands of people they supposedly “informed”, 110 people responded and on that basis were going ahead with their plans to spend other people’s money, that is, leaseholders’ and tenants’. 

No detailed breakdown of costings were given. I tried to get detail under Freedom of Information but was denied with the council saying it was too expensive to release it.

The first I heard about the IRS was late 2010. My objections were, of course, put in the wastepaper bin (as the decision had already been made) and told to stump up or else.

It is the same with other works and a bullying, undemocratic, threatening and dismissive attitude pervades their dealings with residents. 

Those that question are seen as troublemakers 

CLEM ALFORD
Tavistock Place, WC1 

Published: 14 July, 2011