30th June 2009

Here is a piece submitted for a column in The Citizen from Cllr Sarah Lunnon about her first day at the County Council.

Here I go the first Green councilor on Gloucestershire County Council, I'm 43 still not very tall and would like to become a highly thought of councillor, respected for my rapier like wit, intellectual rigour and have a major impact on policy. This might take a while, I have forgotten my pass and can-not open the doors. Then have to borrow a pen from the staff at reception.

Inside the council chamber the massed ranks of the Tories sit on the right, peppered with pin-striped suits. Some of them even look like they might be in their forties. The remains of the Labour party are kept to the left by the Liberal Democrat posse.

So I sit down, its mid-summer, it's a sunny day, its 10am, the blinds are drawn closed and the electric lights are on. Make mental note to self - must check that energy saving bulbs are being used. Kick self - wonder if blinds could be opened, even start to wonder if windows can be opened.

Contain myself and discover the meeting has started and the chair resigns. Apparently this was meant to happen. In fact its all a bit of theatre as the Tories are so strong they can vote for anything they like. The cabinet is announced, then the chairs of various committees. The Lib Dems are thrown a scrap the Chair of the Budget and Performance. This is the scrutiny committee I'm sitting on as well as Planning.

This is what I wanted, not sure how it happened. Then the fun starts. At county debate seems to happens around motions. The Labour group propose a motion implying that the administration is rubbish. The administration proposes an amendment. The Labour group say the amendment is not allowed. We need a lawyer. There is one and it is an amendment although it now says the administration is brilliant. The Lib Dems can't work this out, neither can I, we have a ten minute adjournment.

After 30 mins its time to vote, but no Labour withdraw the motion. They tried to do this earlier but the Tories wouldn't let them.

I didn't speak, sadly neither the motion, the amendment or much of the debate really tackled the seriousness of the issues. If Gloucestershire is going to balance its books without raising council tax, jobs and services provided by the county are going to be cut. How can the county council save £60 million pounds over three years, losing up to 500 jobs without there being an impact on services? What will we cut? Climate change strategies, Libraries, Classroom assistants? How can there be endless efficiencies?

Then its over, apart from the official photo on the steps.