Local Democracy Shutting Down
November 11, 2009 4:49 PM
The decision has been taken to close down the Joint Area Committees (JACs) being piloted by Somerset County Council and South Somerset District Council.
They have been trialled since January 2009 under the umbrella name; 'Pioneer Somerset' and were designed to improve decision-making at local level (including planning decisions).
They aimed to improve community engagement, leading to true community empowerment and effective delivery of public services. Even better, they were focused on removing duplication and therefore saving costs.
Sadly, partnership working with others such as the police, health service and voluntary groups is also irreversibly damaged by this decision.
Deputy Liberal Democrat Group Leader Sam Crabb, said of the decision:
"I am surprised that the Conservative group appear to be going against their party's own policy of decentralisation and instead operating in a totalitarian, non-consultative way."
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