In April this year, I wrote the following about the 'Independent Alliance' led Central Bedfordshire Council... "...It is also particularly disappointing that the current leadership of the Council seems to resent being held accountable, or being subjected to the very scrutiny they were actually once rather effective at when in opposition...". Earlier this week, I … Continue reading Accountability and CBC
In 2020, Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) set a target to plant 1 million trees by 2030. However, it has failed to set a) an annual tree planting target b) include it as one of the Council's Key Performance Indicators. As a result, it is probably little surprise from the evidence to date that tree planting … Continue reading Central Beds Council – 1m trees by 2030 (How’s it going?)
The settlement by the owners of 'The Sun' to avoid their grubby practices being picked through in court calls into question the truthfulness of evidence given under oath by their senior executives, many of whom are still in positions of power today. The need for a Leveson 2 Inquiry has never been clearer. The print … Continue reading The case for ‘Leveson 2’ is stronger than ever
A common theme running through tragedies such as Horizon, Grenfell and Hillsborough is the nauseating confidence and casual indifference shown by those responsible. So from where does this confidence originate? I believe it is a confidence emboldened by several factors: 1: Unequal access to the law - those with the deepest pockets win, and the … Continue reading Fixing the system
I will hold a hand up and say that up until a few weeks ago I did not know a great deal about planning conditions and S106 funding agreements. Since then, from delving into the lack of provision of cycle routes in my local area, and potential opportunities to improve their connectivity, I know quite … Continue reading Are planning conditions worth the paper they are written on?
Following my research into how funding received from housing developers is spent in our communities, I posted The secret world of S106 funding blog on my social media. Of course, while social media can be a useful tool, it is no substitute for actually getting in touch with the decision makers directly. As the planning … Continue reading S106 Funding – an open letter to Central Beds Council
The recent actions by the government in shamefully attempting to defend corruption have done considerable damage to the credibility of Parliament and people's trust in both politicians and our political system. The actions of the Prime Minister, and others in the Conservative Party, have shown such a blatant disregard for accountability, so vital to our … Continue reading It’s time to end 2nd Jobs and Freebies for MPs
Julian Vaughan 