Dear Ian of Solihull and Ian of Brum - and copied to the Chief Exec of the CA, Laura and, the Mayor and his Deputy
Referring to the above, Ian Ward by virtue of his status as Leader, I was once told of the biggest local authority in W Europe. Ian Courts as Leader of the highly significant Environment and Energy Board of the CA. A Combined Authority, with its Chief Exec, whose decisions and power must trump those of the individual, seven constituent council members that make up the Authority. Is that correct?
The seven individual leaders, I think, must not feel attacked and become defensive if the CA, as the ultimate authority, intervenes and insists on exercising its power in a way the individual council does not like. Obviously, it is better if all seven of you and, especially you two most powerful Ians, can compromise and come to some mutual agreement. Yet, you also have to have the agreement of your Board members in the case of Ian Courts and his Cabinet in the case of Ian Ward.
SUGGESTION 1 - committees are talking shops:
Not one decision, after a fair debate and vote, has materialised in a single CA committee I have observed as a member of the public. Every single one has been an amiable, nice natter of a talking shop. Similar to what we all like down the pub or in the coffee shop. I think this needs changing.
SUGGESTION 2 - tell the Conservation Officer:
Ian Ward cannot possibly take offence at the Ian of the Environment and Energy Board asking, for the sake of our precious environment and energy, that the Brum Conservation Officer be instructed to authorise the fitting of self closing mechanisms on the front, north doors (external and internal ideally) of 'The Exchange' at 3 Centenary Square - in order to conserve energy and slow climate catastrophe.
SUGGESTION 3 - challenge the officers:
What I also think needs changing is the tendency of councillors to rubber stamp decisions of the professional officers. I would like all you elected members, including elected Andy and Bob, to question and challenge what the officers are doing. This, in the light of the true horror story I have catalogued here after spending 55 years in Brum and the Black Country:
SUGGESTION 4 - stop Metro and Sprint extensions to insulate and solar power the homes of the poorest:
Metro and Sprint are the region's equivalent of HS2 bankrupting Britain. All three transport modes are very nice to have but calamitous for climate, nature and for our finances. Redeploy transport staff at 16 Summer Lane to work on insulating and solar powering the homes of the poorest and voiceless. As a rough rule of thumb, every pound spent needs to be regarded as a pound weight of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, spend in the short term what will postpone, in the long term, climate change and resource depletion.
Resist the paralysis of inertia and have the political will to change - please. Someone must be the first to say, "We must think again." Well done for CAZ. It shows that you can change for the better.
Very best wishes to all of you in getting to grips with your declared climate emergency from June 2019.
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