What do you do when your electors don't agree with you?

If you're a Lib Dem, you just change the rules!

You may remember that I asked you, and those people on my e-mail news list, whether you wanted me to sign off on the £900 donation for a noticeboard for the King's Park Skate Park.

This was proposed last month by my Lib Dem ward colleagues.

The vote, of almost 400 people, was fairly clear cut. 98% against and 2% for.

I therefore informed the Council that I was unable to sign off on the grant application.

Three days later I recieved this from the Finance Department of the Council:

The revised procedure for the Local Improvement Fund was agreed by Cabinet last night. Part of this revised guidance is that only two ward members agreement is needed for a scheme to take place. Therefore under the revised guidance the Notice Board for Kings Park Skate Park can go ahead.

Therefore, of course, the grant is being made. Forget the alternative ideas you put forward:

Bicycle stands by the shops in Christchurch Road
A new path linking the top of Petersfield Road with the rest of the path network in the park
Traffic calming signs in Iford Lane
Improved planting in the flower beds and hanging baskets around the area

The wishes of our residents are, as so often before, being ignored by the local Lib Dems in favour of their pet scheme, the Skate Park. Providing a notice board which, elsewhere in Bournemouth, is being paid for by the Parks Department.

This seems to me a fairly typical, cynical response from the Lib Dems. Why bother trying persuade people to your point of view when you can just change the rules to suit yourself!

Very disappointing, very undemocratic, very cowardly.