EDITOR – While enthusiasm to become involved in local government issues is to be applauded, one has to question the extent to which layers of bureaucracy are now encompassing wards.
In addition to ward committees, war rooms have become an additional feature (SUN, 8 November). When war rooms were introduced during the 2011 to 2016 term of the council, the idea was that officials with plenipotentiary powers from a range of departments would attend so that issues would enjoy direct resolution. But within months the exercise failed because of non-attendance by key decision makers.
Given that experience, one fails to see what impact war rooms can make now when they are manned by those who are not politically connected. The most obvious and time tested way to liaise with provincial and national levels of government is through one’s own political party representatives.
As it is, war rooms and ward committees are merely advisory conduits to councillors. Delegating and devolving tasks to such bodies will only create a Byzantine paper trail. Cocooned in such a corporate environment, there is also the tendency for a councillor to lose touch with other voices in the community. With 20 years of experience as a ward councillor, the reality is that there is no substitute for personal, hands-on endeavour.
DR DUNCAN DU BOIS
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