A serving Penrith Town Councillor has asked What happened to democracy? Is the town council 'fit for purpose' as he resigns from the town council’s planning committee.
Leading to Penrith Town Council facing further questions over its democratic practices and questions of is the council ‘fit for purpose’ as Councillor Jeff Thomson, the Independent councillor for Penrith West, resigns from the town council planning committee.
The resignation follows Cllr Thomson's walkout during the inaugural meeting of the council's new environment task and finish group was the second town council meeting in the last month he has walked out of. During the inaugural meeting of the environment task and finish group on Wednesday, it came to light that a prior meeting had taken place to allow a Westmorland and Furness Council staff member to join the group.
Cllr Thomson has expressed concerns that decisions on the group's membership were predetermined, leading him to question the group's potential for genuine collaboration and progress.
Adding “the group was just going to be more of the same old same old, with decisions on membership already made.”
Fuelling the concern of Cllr Thomson is the recent re-appointment by co-option onto the town council of councillor Dave Knaggs. Despite losing his Penrith West seat in the May local elections, Councillor Knaggs regained his position as a town councillor through a councillor-only secret biscuit tin ballot at a recent town council meeting that resulted in Cllr Knaggs been co-opted onto the council to fill a vacant seat for Penrith East, prompting objections from Cllr Thomson, who deemed the process undemocratic.
An email exchange between town councillors seen by us has revealed Cllr Knaggs expressing his wish to be a part of the councils new environment task and finish group, eliciting a critical response from Cllr Thomson, who viewed it as an attempt by an unelected individual to exert influence in the decision-making process. Saying “How predictable! Unelected, rejected Knaggs puts himself forward for the group”.
This exchange with other councillors culminated in Cllr Jeff Thomson's resignation from the town council planning committee. Councillor Thomson has expressed disappointment and questioned the council's credibility, suggesting possible manipulation of rules and membership to prevent elected 'free speakers' from participating in council affairs. Saying in his email to other town councillors “Wow ! Penrith Town Council shows its true colours!”
Councillor Thomson told our reporter that Penrith Town Council has “lost all credibility and was manipulating its rules and membership, to keep elected 'free speakers' off the council.”
In a short online statement today he added “What happened to democracy? Is the town council 'fit for purpose'?”
Councillor Thomson's concerns have added to the questions already raised by others about the efficacy and transparency of the Penrith Town Council's decision-making procedures.
With calls for a thorough review of the council through a community governance review with proposals made to replace the town council with six smaller parish councils covering the six wards of the town council across parts of the town.
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