19 March 2012
To be fair, those allowances are independently set, published annually and freely available on the council’s website. But this is only half of the story, because many councillors (nominated by, and belonging to, the ruling party) also represent St Helens on a range of authorities and other quangos for which they receive additional allowances which are not as easily identified.
Some allowances are undoubtedly deserved, but 10% of all St Helens Labour councillors’ allowances, whether deserved or not, go straight into the local party coffers. This means that the main political party in the borough has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo i.e. propping itself up with taxpayers’ money, which it will no doubt put to good use in its target seats in May.
It’s no wonder apathy and cynicism reign in St Helens. The present system is dysfunctional, and the electorate either uninterested or disenchanted. Far too many people feel they have little influence over what impacts upon their lives. Too many people feel they do not have a stake or a say at any level. We have too many councillors and not enough quality. We have too many people who are in it not for St Helens, but for themselves, their friends and relatives – and the party coffers. We have too many expensive elections and too little interest in them.
There needs to be a renaissance in local democracy. We need a form of local democracy which is participatory and empowering, enabling people to take an active and informed part in the decision-making processes which affect their lives, with real decisions devolved to the most local level possible.
St Helens Green Party is now looking closely at how local democracy functions in St Helens and how it can be revived for the benefit of the people who live and work here. The renaissance is long overdue.
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