Charlbury town council

Thu 31 May 2007, 19:24

Thank you Richard!!

Thu 31 May 2007, 10:01

Well, I'd vote for you if I had the opportunity, Susie!

Wed 30 May 2007, 20:24

I'm just an uncontested town councillor - but I would think that as 90% of Charlbury residents who look on the internet for information on Charlbury do so through this website, it makes sense for any information on the Town Council to appear on this website, along with any information regarding councillors etc.

Wed 30 May 2007, 16:33

The town council could set up a blog (for free, e.g. on Google's 'Blogger') with a little initial help, and then the secretary could post minutes and announcements simply by emailing them to the blog. If you look at my evenlodeblogger.blogspot.com/ you'll see how this can work, though there is just the one posting there so far.

On my example, anyone can put up a new review by email, using the link provided, but it is simple to allow just one person (in this case, the secretary to the council) to email stuff in. Everything he puts on will be archived and will be accessible by month and by year. Not a substitute for an all-singing-and-dancing pukka website, but free to set up, free and easy to maintain, and surprisingly flexible.

Most important of all, it's a way of having a website up and running by the weekend, showing minutes, notices and agendas and contacts for councillors, rather than going into great discussions about something that could be budgeted for in a year or two's time!

Go to www.wychwoodpress.co.uk to see a catalogue of books created using a blog template. Or at www.evenlodebooks.co.uk you will see a website based on a blog, but with no blog! All for free, and I don't have any website software or know-how. Better than nothing.

Wed 30 May 2007, 12:07

I'm not sure if "keep voting" is quite right - the Town Council has been uncontested in recent years, if I remember rightly!

There is a bit of a back-story to the town council website (or lack thereof).

There was once a Town Council site, way back when Ray Marshall…

Long post - click to read full text

Wed 30 May 2007, 11:31

I'd support this. You could also email the town clerk, Roger Clarke, at charlburytc@btinternet.com to urge him on. You can't email the chairman because he's not on email. Nor possibly are a lot of the councillors. Democratic participation is a real hassle for the powers that be. Still, you Charlbury residents keep voting for them, so they are obviously doing the right thing: obvious, isn't it? I'm just an outsider from Finstock, smug as can be.

Wed 30 May 2007, 10:26

I have always been deeply suspicious of those secret meetings held every Wednesday evening in the corner house. Last I heard this was attended by Lord Lucan, Lee Harvey-Oswald and Shergar. Or you could look at pages 34 and 35 of the Charlbury Chronicle, which I believe is also availble online.

Tue 29 May 2007, 14:11

Why is it that our elected town council has no presence on this website? Chippy has a full website devoted to town council activities, even Enstone puts the minutes of the parish council and details of membership on its website.Other bodies in Charlbury such as the Gifford Trust and the Cornerhouse committee put their stuff on. Why is the town council afraid of transparency?
Anyone join me in proposing that the Council should put the following on immediately:
-contact details including email address for Clerk
-names and contact details for all Councillors
-minutes
-annual report
Councillors make great play that Charlbury is governed by a Town Council. Currently it has less presence or awareness of its activities that most local parish councils.