Category Archives: Democratic deficit

Lack of transparency, honesty, trust etc.

#Manchester, #climate and all that jazz (festival)

Posted on July 24, 2014 by manchesterclimatemonthly

Manchester City Council loves to sell the city as a Global Destination for Sport and Culture.  It’s part of the “offer”, to attract inward investment.(1)  That’s great, so long as it doesn’t conflict with the imperative to become a genuinely … Continue reading →

Posted in Democratic deficit, Low Carbon Culture, Manchester City Council | Leave a comment

#Manchester councillors denied information about council’s #climate performance. As are citizens.

Posted on July 23, 2014 by manchesterclimatemonthly

Manchester City Council will NOT be giving any detailed account about its climate change performance over the last year, despite repeated requests. In July 2013 the “Annual Carbon Reduction Plan” was brought to the “Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee”  (this of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Democratic deficit, Manchester City Council | 1 Comment

Video: #Manchester City Council and its scrutiny system. A 7th committee is needed… #climate #democracy

Posted on July 17, 2014 by manchesterclimatemonthly

Here’s a rough and ready short film about the scrutiny process of Manchester City Council and the need for a 7th – environmental –  scrutiny committee. Thanks to all the people who gave constructive feedback on the earlier draft. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Democratic deficit, Manchester City Council, youtubes | Leave a comment

#Manchester Council proclaims itself transparent. Want to know how “Clean City” money is spent? You gotta use FoIA.

Posted on July 15, 2014 by manchesterclimatemonthly

Update: The Council has got even more Airport Windfall money this year. Manchester City Council bleats loud and long about openness and transparency. In early June bureaucrats assured elected members they would explain the “Clean and Green Fund” better. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Democratic deficit, Manchester Airport, Manchester City Council | 2 Comments

#Manchester #climate bosses think warm winter + buildings sell-off = “success”

Posted on July 8, 2014 by manchesterclimatemonthly

Update: From an email just received – “Cllr Curley [chair of the Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee] has further indicated that this will be considered as a substantive agenda item for consideration by the Committee at its meeting of 26 August.” First … Continue reading →

Posted in Democratic deficit, Manchester City Council | 2 Comments

#Manchester People’s Environmental Scrutiny Committee. Because the Councillors will not do it… Mon 7th July

Posted on July 7, 2014 by manchesterclimatemonthly

UPDATE: Next meeting is Tuesday 26th August from 7pm at the Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount St. More info to follow… If you want Manchester to have environmental action, you’ll need to get together with other citizens. Our elected leaders … Continue reading →

Posted in #mcrclimateplan, Democratic deficit | 3 Comments

#Manchester City Council Scrutiny Week July 2014

Posted on July 3, 2014 by manchesterclimatemonthly

Because those democracy-lovers in Manchester Town Hall are unable/unwilling to do this themselves, here are the agendas (and links to reports) for the existing 6 scrutiny committees, scraped from the award-winning website.  The scrutiny committees all meet in the so-called … Continue reading →

Posted in Democratic deficit, Manchester City Council | Leave a comment

Broken #climate promise by #Manchester Council’s Executive member for the Environment

Posted on June 16, 2014 by manchesterclimatemonthly

The promise was simple, and cheap. The promise was not made in haste. The promise was repeated. The promise… has, of course… been broken. A month after receiving an Open Letter from Manchester citizens offering to help take climate action, … Continue reading →

Posted in #mcrclimateplan, Democratic deficit, Manchester City Council | Leave a comment

#Manchester #climate report you can now download. 52 pages of glossy drivel

Posted on June 11, 2014 by manchesterclimatemonthly

Was it worth the wait? Of course it wasn’t. Despite the “honesty” (Was there a choice? Was there really any way to spin the last five wasted years as any ‘success’?) of admitting things are hopelessly behind schedule, the Manchester … Continue reading →

Posted in Democratic deficit, Steering Group | 2 Comments

#Manchester #Steering Group Inaugural General Meeting (repost)

Posted on June 10, 2014 by manchesterclimatemonthly

The Manchester “Stakeholder Steering Group” on climate change has refused to release its first annual report, ahead of its Inaugural General Meeting. Martyn Cowsill, a renewable energy businessman, has been rebuffed in his request to see the report, which will … Continue reading →

Posted in Democratic deficit, Steering Group | Tagged , | Leave a comment