Task and Finish Forum

The agenda is HERE.

Rather a strange agenda, never seen anything quite like it.  An agenda usually just lists the items to be debated and does not go into detail about them, particularly when that might influence the debate itself.  But, it is what we have and what we must work with.

In particular, the public should, if there is the will, research the real meaning of what as”joint body”really  is.  It is a statutory term about the relationship between a council and other bodies, such as the National Health Service and other local authorities or the police and fire authorities and is NOT a relationship between a council and a lobby group – a lobby group which it funds 100% and on which several of its own councillors and at least one of its officers wear other (significantly worrying) hats.

The point of a Business Forum is NOT purely to lobby a council but to encourage economic prosperity for ALL businesses in the area, not just a favoured (and subsidised) few with easy access to councillors and officers for them and no access to councillors and officers for others.  Lobbying should be a by-product of their actions for such economic prosperity not the sole purpose of their existence.  Strip out planning issues and issues where its members have a financial interest from their agendas and minutes and we have precious little else for EDBF to lobby the council about!