EGM Update(2)

As I outlined yesterday, here are the EGM motions which were rejected by Brian T Scott, Head of Corporate Governance, South Tyneside Council. Clearly, there has been a takeover, a coup – call it what you will, but Councillor’s no longer run this Borough. In true Orwellian fashion, we are now dictated to by the p….now that would be to strong: we are now governed by unelected, unaccountable and undemocratic Executives, a group of arrogant pen pushers who have Labour Councillors as their lackeys!

I understand from sources that the meeting will still go ahead.

To: The Mayor of the Council of the Borough of South Tyneside

We are members of the Council of the Borough of South Tyneside.

We make this request under:
-
Paragraph 3(2) of Part I of Schedule 12 to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended); and
Rule 3.1.5 of the Council Procedure Rules in Part D.1 of the Constitution of the Council of the Borough of South Tyneside.

We require you to call an extraordinary meeting of the council within 7 days from the receipt by you of this requisition for the purpose of considering the business set out in the Schedule.

Dated: 24th January 2008
Signed by

SCHEDULE

Questions from the public

Q1.
Could the council please provide the following information in relation to the Council’s Citizens Panel:
a) What criteria does the council use to appoint members of the public to the panel?
b) When are panel members appointed and for how long?
c) Does the panel accurately reflect the make up of the borough’s population? Please provide details of
- total number of people on the panel
- male to female ratio
- how many members of the panel are registered disabled
- how many members of the panel are from the ethnic minority community
- breakdown of the ages of panel members
- details of where panel members reside on a ward by ward basis only
d) Do members of the panel receive expenses/allowances, if so please provide details?
e) Does the council publish agendas, reports and minutes of the meetings, if so where?

Signed…………………………………………

Q2.

What measures has the Council taken to ensure that there is no repetition of incident highlighted in the Shields Gazette where South Tyneside Home(s) tenant(s) received overtly threatening letters stating that forced entry would be used to gain access to tenant(s) homes to carry out gas servicing?

Signed……………………………………..

Q3.

What measures the has the council taken to contact surviving family members of those whose headstones the council deems unsafe before they are toppled by the council’s appointed contractor(s) and does the council provide any financial assistance for those on low incomes to help reset the headstones deemed unsafe?

Signed……………………………………..

Q4.

How much has the council spent on PC’s, laptops, Blackberry devices, mobile phones and training on how to use them for elected members for the following financial periods?
a) 2005 – 2006
b) 2006 – 2007
c) 2007 – to date
Please any rental/lease charges, maintenance, call charges and any additional expenditure for the items listed above

Signed…………………………………….

Q5.

What inspection measures does the Council have in place to ensure that all PC's, laptops and Blackberry devices that are issued by elected members are not used for any purposes other than Council business?

Signed……………………………………

Motion 1

‘This Council has no confidence in the Leader of the Council to carry out the Council’s business and call upon Cllr Paul Waggott to resign.’

Motion 2

The demand for costs from a resident of the borough as the result of a case to Newcastle upon Tyne County Court currently stand at £28,478.43. We call upon the Council to withdraw this demand.’