A MORE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT HARLOW COUNCIL
The Harlow Alliance Party will campaign to:
- Ensure Harlow Council provides a better and more extensive use of webcam services at meetings.
- Ensure Harlow Council has an effective consultation system in place, which listens to the views of all residents on issues which affect them.
- Make better and more use of Harlow Times to publicise Harlow Council events and outcomes from it’s decision making process.
- Provide information and services from more locations in the town.
The Harlow Alliance Party believes that consultation is more than just the passing on of information about decisions, policies and procedures. It is about setting up a real dialogue with local people, asking their views on the issues which affect their lives and those in the community. It is a commitment that these views will be considered when decisions are being made. It should be used to strengthen relations with the community and positively assist in matching service delivery to community needs.
Since Harlow Council closed it’s area offices and area committees in the early 2000’s, it has, despite numerous attempts, failed to have effective systems in place, to listen to and take heed of residents views on many issues which affect them. Forums set up by Harlow Council have been almost exclusively for tenants. Residents have little hope of influencing Council policy or scrutinising decisions that are made.Council meetings are not widely advertised and the outcome of these meetings even less so.