AS Lord Mayor of Oxford, Mary Clarkson’s explanation of allocated time for debate at council meetings (yesterday’s Oxford Mail letters) proves the comments made by Nuala Young (letters, November 5).
Mrs Clarkson has not grasped (as is common with county councillors) that no one was complaining about showing a video, but that only on three occasions in the next 12 months is the council allotting meetings/times for debate – and as Mrs Clarkson points out, that means just 90 minutes is designated for debate.
In the whole of next year, a mere four-and-a-half hours will be spent debating. That amount of time should be each and every week.
If councillors are not debating issues, it is no small wonder that so many executive proposals are rushed through without proper discussion.
What on earth do councillors do with their time? It is pointless them attending various meetings with various organisations if they are not given time to express their findings to the full council.
Commitment is decreasing year on year as silly council rules prevent openness and keep the public in the dark.
ADRIAN TAYLOR, Eynsham
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