Our one-party Local Authority, a non-functioning democracy…
Posted by Ricky in Opinion under Council Watch | Local Government & Democracy | Tories | on Sep 24 2007
It’s certainly not the fault of the Conservative Party that they gained all but one of the seats - two of them un-opposed - that they contested in the Adur Local Elections.
We have grown indifferent to the very low levels of voter participation in local elections, even though our district and county councils make decisions that may effect us profoundly, even though these councils administer our local services, and despite the potential there is within the elected bodies, entrusted to our elected representatives, to transform our communities. At the last elections barely 23% of the electorate voted. The Tories gained a little more than half that vote, ensuring that with a mandate from just 12% of the electorate, they have a near total monopoly of decision and policy making. Is this fair? Yes, of course. If you are the highest bidder in an auction, and there is no reserve, you win the auction. But is it democratic? No. Because in our democracy, power resides, ultimately, with the people. Democracy predicates the participation.of the people. Democracy: The People/Power. When the people do not participate, the equation is unbalanced, the process is incomplete. Absence of consent cannot be construed as implied consent. Through no fault of theirs, the Tory administration lacks legitimacy.
Democracy may not be broken, but it is suspended....
