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Denbighshire: The Challenge

In recent weeks, we have observed major shifts in international political direction as first Greece and then Spain have thrown their support behind radical left wing political parties. A brief glance at the history books suggests such a move to be far from novel. Following the austerity of the early 1930s, two major ideologies grew throughout Europe. The extreme right wing sought to take over Europe and, mercifully, failed. The extreme left wing existed beyond the symbolic wall in Berlin and it's influence exerted a vice-like grip across Eastern Europe. But when that wall was brought down in 1989, it ushered in the closing days of the far left in mainstream European politics. Until now.

Then as now, a sustained period of economic austerity has brought the political pendulum swinging back to the left. In the UK, it is surprising to observe the Labour Party floundering to express itself in the most fertile conditions for left wing politics imaginable. They have either lost their left wing credentials or elected a leader too far out of touch with real people. Of course, that same accusation could also be directed at the Tory party but nobody realistically expects a Tory leader to have had any appreciable life experience.

But what of the local picture? In Denbighshire, we are arguably confronted with a situation facing people all over the UK. Put simply, democracy is dysfunctional at a local level - irrespective of it's status at a national level.

In common with most other UK councils, my council in Denbighshire has been charged with trimming it's budget by roughly 10%. Given the obvious socio-economic implications of such a task, I would have thought "Maslow's hierarchy of needs" as good a starting point as any:-

http://www.businessballs.com/images/maslow's_hierarchy_businessballs.jpg

First espoused in the 1940s and 1950s in North America by Abraham Maslow, the famous pyramid is as relevant today as ever. Put simply, the bottom of the pyramid ascends in layers thus:-


  1. Physiological - a recognition of the absolute importance of our basic life needs such as air, food, drink, warmth, sex and sleep.
  2. Safety needs - protection, security, order, law, limits, stability etc.
  3. Belongingness and love needs - family, affection, work groups, relationships.
  4. Esteem needs - achievement, status, responsibility and reputation.
  5. Self-Actualisation - personal growth and fulfilment.
In the recent cuts put forward by Denbighshire County Council, it is as though they started cutting with the physiological needs and worked their way up from there. That displays an absolute ignorance of this widely acknowledged model and, worse still, an organisation totally out of touch with the public who pay the council tax which pays their wages.

So what exactly is the problem with Denbighshire County Council? To answer that question, we must first remind ourselves of the three players in this game. The players are Denbighshire County Council, the County Councillors and the public. By definition, there are three relationships:-

  • The relationship between the Council and the County Councillors.
  • The relationship between the County Councillors and the public.
  • The relationship between the Council and the public.
All three relationships are of paramount importance if the parties concerned are to even have a sniff of democracy. The extent to which the Council engages with the County Councillors is defined by how effectively the latter bring the former to account. But it is also defined by the extent to which the County Councillors engage with their public. Only then can they engage effectively with the Council. Without the stated views of the public, they are effectively an autonomous group principally representing their own interests and agendas. Of course, the majority of County Councillors are affiliated to various political groups. In principle, that is all well and good until we stop to realise that these political groups frequently order these County Councillors how to vote. That means that politically affiliated County Councillors will vote in a certain way based not on what their public have expressed but rather on what someone in their head office has told them to do. That is a far cry from democracy.

Thus far, I have found fault with the Council which can pretty much operate unchallenged and the County Councillors who are too often swayed by political directive rather than the views of the public they are paid to represent. That just leaves the public - you and I.

Are we blameless in any of this? No! For not engaging with our County Councillors and our Council, we must shoulder a large portion of the blame. It is insane that we merrily pay our council tax from month to month with little or no engagement with our County Councillors. But dare we wish for that third relationship; the relationship between the Council and the public? If we get involved in a more proactive way, we have every right to expect that relationship. The challenge is whether we want it badly enough. If we do, we could quite easily make Denbighshire the county which becomes the envy of every other in the UK. Is that fanciful? That depends on all of us; Council officers, County Concillors and the public. We pay our money and we take our choice.   

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