and the song is “The Sound of Silence.“

By dawn on May 4th Dave Goddard, chair of the Environment Commission, knew he had lost his council seat. Later that day we phoned and then sent an email to officers who help run the Environment Commission. We requested information about the mechanics of replacing the chair (a subject the Terms of Reference are silent on), and implications for the (delayed) Implementation Plan for the Climate Change Strategy.

On Tuesday 8th May we received the following communication

As Cllr Goddard has been the Chair since the Commission’s inception, this is new ground for us. I will respond to your enquiry as soon as possible, and aim to provide an outline of the likely timeline and process.

We would of course wish to avoid any unnecessary delays to the development and implementation of key environmental initiatives wherever practicable.

Since then, nada.

It all raises an interesting question, doesn’t it? If the Environment Commission is so completely unable to think about the possible outcomes of the 2012 election – an event that has been scheduled since before it came into existence in 2009 – then how can it expect to be trusted with the ever-so-slightly more messy and unpredictable realities that climate change will throw up?

Answers on a postcard to the usual address.