NCDC beats CPC

NCDC beats Cardinham Parish Council

Cardinham Parish Council refused to let Mr Bonker copy Minutes. Demonstration in the Parish Hall involves North Cornwall District Council. Head of Legal Services made CPC obey law.

	Cornish Guardian 12th September 2007 Mr Bonker met CPC Chairman and Clerk in the hall to get copies of the Minutes. CPC told him - pay us £2 per page or copy them by hand. You can’t use your copier. Three parishioners copied furiously for an hour to prove it was impossible.

	Mr Bonker rang Sally Lloyd-Jones, Head of Legal Services at NCDC. He told her the Chair and Clerk were refusing to give him free copies of the Minutes. And refusing his rights under LGA 1972 s228 to use his copier to make copies "without charge"

	Despite lengthy telephone argument by the Chairman and Clerk, NCDC won. Alhough she had no formal jurisdiction, Miss Lloyd-Jones impressed on CPC the seriousness of blatantly flouting the law. She insisted that Mr Bonker must get copies without charge. Chair and Clerk duly obeyed and delivered free copies to his house shortly after. NCDC proved CPC can be made to obey the law even without formal jurisdiction.

	So come on Cornwall Council, Councillor Martin, you Council Officers, and Mr Ombudsman. Never mind lack of jurisdiction; - get on with it. Make these Parish Councils obey the law. Otherwise its going to look as if you rather like things the way they are.