GEOFF Cooper’s views (Echo February 18) regarding the crime commissioner and workings of the council are once again wide of the mark.
He criticises the council cabinet system because of lack of consultation and insinuates the decisions are undemocratic.
I have never known an organisation that regularly consults with the public quite as much as our council does. The public’s views are taken into account and are always considered before decisions are made.
If Mr Cooper cares to study our constitution he will know full well that any decision made by the cabinet or cabinet member is allowed to be ‘called in’ by any council member for the decision to be reconsidered.
This happened only last month when a decision made by the leader of the council concerning the Trevor Osborne scheme was called in and reconsidered by a scrutiny panel. At the end of the day the scrutiny committee were satisfied that the leader had made the correct decision and the original decision stood.
Mr Cooper goes on to state that I have been ‘outspoken’ in my criticism of the commissioner’s role.
I have had a public and well documented disagreement with the commissioner about his decision to increase the precept for Dorset taxpayers (a decision that I still maintain was unnecessary) but apart from that I have and will continue to work closely with the commissioner on matters of crime and disorder that effect Bournemouth residents and visitors. The public would expect nothing less.
CLLR DAVID SMITH, Town centre councillor, Bournemouth member of the police and crime panel
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