The last update summarised the sale of Bridlington golf course to the golf club, and then the golf club quickly selling a portion to a property developer for more than twice what the club paid East Riding Council for it. The Council could have sold that portion and received the full £1.6 million into the Councils coffers. In effect, East Riding Council has given the golf club over £800k to get it out of financial difficulty. It’s hard to see how this could possibly be a good deal for East Riding’s ratepayers. But the police found that it was legal. The head of East Riding Planning, now acting Chief Executive, is also the person overseeing the election for the Police and Crime Commissioner.

It is not the only example, but East Riding Council is run as a business, as an end in itself. Residents, the electorate, are treated as if they are employees, subordinates. This reflects the way the UK Government conducts itself. 

What we are seeing suggests people who crave power, and who know how to acquire and retain it, rather than people committed to democracy and listening to citizens - whatever the PR pronouncements about “delivering the will of the people.”

When actions don’t match words, it’s necessary to look for alternative agendas, and look at what methods are being used to deliver them.

A county council or unitary authority has a lot of power. Businesses for example need planning permission. So if the powers that be at a local authority let businesses know, without an evidence trail of course, that if those businesses criticise the council publicly, or question decisions, then their planning applications will not be passed, their lives will be made otherwise difficult, and any contracts they have to do business with the Council will be cancelled at the next opportunity, those businesses will likely tow the line. And if the local newspaper is one of those businesses, the paper will tow the line too.

That couldn’t possibly be the way East Riding Council operates now could it?

The photo is of the band stand in the Riverside Park, which is now looking in very good shape. Many residents were worried it would be demolished but the Town Council has listened to residents.

Thank you to everybody who has signed so far. Keep taling, keep sharing, keep moaning, keep signing!