You may recall, dear reader, this earnest scribe’s scorn and derision earlier in the summer when it was learned that Durham County Council was to canvass the opinions of the ‘real people’ (i.e. you and me) in order to help decide the name of the new super-duper unitary authority that would come into being next April……
Well, as the saying goes, the votes have been counted, and the result is……Durham County Council!
A few days ago, the council cabinet held a meeting and they agreed to recommend that the new unitary authority retain the name; it appears ‘more than half’ of those involved agreed with our previous scribblings here. Basically, if it sounds like a council for the county of Durham, then keep it – it does exactly what it says on the tin! (I’d like to know the numbers behind the statement ‘more than half’ above. Was it just over half? A lot more than half? An overwhelming majority?)
A senior council figure commented after the announcement (rather disparagingly I feel), saying: ‘ Many of those who voted for no change did so on the grounds of media ‘guesstimates’ about the cost of re-branding’
Like that’s a bad thing? I think not.
So, as we gird our loins, ready to embrace a new era in local government, we can expect – in the words of the council leader – improved services for the public, clear accountability, stronger community leadership.
Steady on now: at this rate we’re going to expect way too much! However, it is comforting to know that, whatever the radical changes about to take place on our doorsteps, the name remains the same. Durham County Council, we salute you!
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Read the small print in the report and you will see only 543 people out of 500000 have chosen this name. Hmm, I wonder if that is democratic.
Do you suppose they might have been swayed by the scaremongering of 4million to rebrand? Yet, the report does not mention how much it would have cost as no one has done that work. Is this how decisions will be made in the future? On misinformed opinion and ad hoc straw polls heavily biased, under misinformation, to the preferred solution?
The name says it all and without a change, how are we going to have a change in the organisation?
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