When I posted up my previous column last week dealing with Councillor Rob James, who represents Bryncoch South for the Labour Party, I did not have figures for his attendances at Council Committees he was appointed to for this administrative year 2016/2017. But I've dug deep into that useless website of NPT's and here they are, reproduced below. The figures are based on those committees that the Council website currently lists Rob James as being a member of. If they are correct, then so am I.
"There he was in flesh and blood...."
Quite bluntly, I'd be highly embarrassed if they applied to me. I can't think of any reason that could justify Councillor Rob James' quite abysmal attendance record. And when I've never been able to attend a meeting I was scheduled to be in, it was convention to offer apologies for absence, to be recorded in the official Minutes. Do councillors not do this then, because I don't notice any?
"........then all we were left with were glasses, shirt and tie."
Yet next year the Labour Party will come round in their cosy little "teams" asking for your vote, with their excuses and/or apologies for Rob's absences already worked out. They'll be all smiles, chatty, full of bonhomie and promises about what they can do for you. Just like 2012 in fact, when Mr James knocked on every door - four times according to him. I think he meant every door he went to he knocked "rat, tat, tat, tat" - that's Labour and "RobJamesSpeak" for knocking on every door four times as far as I'm concerned. Because I lived in that area then and Labour NEVER, EVER knocked on my door! And if they had done, believe me, Rob James and the Labour Party would not have forgotten it.
Enough said - here are the stats:
(Figures produced as at 28.10.16 and dealing with meetings held since May 2016)
1. Council
Date Attendance
12.10.16 Present
07.09.16 Absent
06.07.16 Absent
25.05.16 Absent
11.05.16 Present Total attendance 40%
2. Environment and Highways Scrutiny Committee
Date Attendance
01.09.16 Absent
07.07.16 Absent
26.05.16 Absent Total attendance 0%
3. Social Care, Health and Housing Scrutiny Committee
Date Attendance
15.09.16 Absent
14.07.16 Absent
09.06.16 Absent
12.05.16 Absent Total attendance 0%
4. Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee
Date Attendance
25.05.16 Absent Total attendance 0%
5. Registration and Licensing Committtee
Date Attendance
26.09.16 Absent
01.08.16 Absent
16.05.16 Absent Total attendance 0%
6. Annual Meeting of Council
Date Attendance
20.05.16 Absent Total attendance 0%
---------------------------------------
OUT OF A POTENTIAL ATTENDANCE OF 17 MEETINGS, COUNCILLOR ROB JAMES HAS DONE 2. THAT'S JUST ABOUT 12%. IF EVERY COUNCILLOR ATTENDED SO INFREQUENTLY, I'D HAZARD A GUESS THAT THE COMMITTEE SYSTEM WOULD COMPLETELY COLLAPSE BECAUSE THERE WOULDN'T BE A QUORUM FULFILLED.
AND WHILE I'M SURE ROB JAMES IS MORE THAN CAPABLE OF STANDING UP FOR HIMSELF, I DON'T BELIEVE FOR ONE MINUTE HE'S THE ONLY COUNCILLOR WITH REALLY POOR ATTENDANCES. HE'S UNLUCKY IN THAT HE FALLS INTO A WARD WHERE I PREVIOUSLY LIVED. BUT TIME AND DIGGING WILL SHOW UP A FEW OTHER LABOUR COUNCILLORS IN A SIMILAR LIGHT, I BELIEVE.
NOW I STAND TO BE CORRECTED ON THIS BUT I'M SURE I'VE SEEN COUNCILLORS KICKED OFF COUNCILS FOR NOT ATTENDING ANY MEETINGS IN A SIX MONTHS' PERIOD. COUNCILLOR ROB JAMES ATTENDED ONE MEETING OF THE COUNCIL ON 11 MAY - THE OTHER A FULL FIVE MONTHS LATER, ON 12 OCTOBER. LEAVE IT ANOTHER MONTH AND HE'D HAVE LEFT HIMSELF WIDE OPEN TO PUNITIVE ACTION BY THE COUNCIL. HE JUST MADE IT THEN.
IN MY OPINION THE FIRST DUTY OF A COUNCILLOR IS TO PROVIDE GOOD SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE HE OR SHE REPRESENTS IN A WARD. BUT SURELY, AFTER THIS, COUNCILLORS ARE EXPECTED TO KEEP THE COUNCIL WHEELS ON THE TRACK, AND THIS IS PARTLY DONE THROUGH THE DECISION MAKING AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES OF COMMITTEES AND MEETINGS. I'VE SAID BEFORE, AND WILL REPEAT, THAT NO-ONE EXPECTS 100% ATTENDANCE OR ANYWHERE NEAR IT. BUT NO-ONE EXPECTS 0% EITHER - IN COMMITTEE AFTER COMMITTEE!
I THINK RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS HAVE A RIGHT TO ASK - SHOULD COUNCILLOR JAMES, AND MAYBE A FEW OTHERS, BE DRAWING THE FULL ALLOWANCE OF £13,300 PER YEAR?
------------------------------------
