“Tory refusal to listen leads to Council chaos”

On a very hot night, Monday's meeting of the full Council saw the guildhall packed with disgruntled residents from across the town.

Cllr. Sally Beardsworth (Lib Dem, Kingsthorpe) has called on the Borough Council to reassess the way they listen to residents after a series of poorly thought out decisions left many local people furious.

The meeting of the full Council at the Guildhall had to be abandoned unfinished after it ran past 10pm, as residents, opposition councillors and community groups repeatedly challenged the administration on their failures, poor decisions and slap-dash attitude.

Sally described the problem: "This Conservative administration won't listen. They have disbanded neighbourhood management meetings, which gave residents a say about their area. They ignore 'friends' groups and community leaders, which give people a say about issues that worry them. They are certain they know best, before they have bothered to make sure they know anything at all."

Residents came to make representation to the Council about Discretionary rate relief, the proposed sale of the Sekhemka statue, fun fair placement and other issues on the agena, because of the Tory's non-existent consultation about many issues. This has got to change for the good of the people of Northampton."