SCDC Civic Affairs ups CPC councillors from 13 to 19.

I'm against the upping of the number of Parish Councillors for Cambourne Parish Council from 13 to 19. The Civic Affairs Committee voted to increase the number. I thought I would look into why the Committee voted that way. Firstly, Simon Crocker turned up as a substitute. Having recently resigned as a Cambourne Parish Councillor he was perfectly right to have his say on the matter. Of course he was for the increase. Looking at the other 10 members who turned up 8 are Parish Councillors or work for a Parish Council.

There are 12 members of the Civic Affairs Committee. They can be divided into five groups:

Non- Parish Councillors

David McCraith
Nigel Cathcart
Nick Wright*

Working for a Parish Council

Bridget Smith - works for Gamlingay PC.

Parish Councillors who have declared.

Jose Hales - Melbourn PC
Janet Lockwood - Hauxton PC
Ray Manning - Willingham PC
Deborah Roberts - Fowlmere PC

Parish Councillors who haven't declared their membership on their SCDC register of interests.

Charles Nightingale - Great Shelford PC and Stapleford PC
Brian Burling - Over PC - Did not attend
Peter Topping - Whittlesford PC
Bunty Waters - Bar Hill PC

Former Parish Councillor and Chairman of Cambourne Parish Council. Currently Clerk to Caldecote Parish Council.
Simon Crocker*

*Nick Wright sent his apologies and Simon Crocker sat in as a voting substitute.

Of the 11 Councillors who attended, 2 Councillors do not have associations with Parish Councils.

Of the 9 Councillors who voted for the increase:

4 Councillors are Parish Councillors.
3 Councillors are also Parish Councillors and have not declared this on their register of interests - naughty.
2 Councillors are employees of Parish Councils.

I tried but when most of the committee are made up of Parish Councillors and Parish Council employees it was always likely the Civic Affairs Committee would agree to the increase in number.

Ron says: With the increase I foresee Cambourne Parish Council will continue as a council of chaos.