WHEN I was elected as district councillor for Lydbrook and Ruardean in May one particular resident congratulated me and wished me luck in the ‘madhouse’ at Coleford.

At the time I thought his comment a bit harsh.

However I have to say that the recent full council meeting had me wondering.

Apart from councillors speaking to the wrong motion and asking questions that had already been answered, there was the practice of the Cabinet, while claiming to answer questions, taking the liberty of making more than one speech on reports and motions (not allowed in the constitution). We also had the following:

•In order to save £10,000 in software costs it was proposed that Council Tax would be increased by £181.49 per year for some of the neediest, it was thought this should only affect 40 to 50 families.

Naturally, most non-Tory Councillors opposed this proposal.

The Cabinet appeared not to understand their briefing and having hung the relevant officer out to dry decided it would withdraw the proposal.

I’m sure it will come back so let’s hope that Cabinet better understand the impact on some of their least fortunate residents.

•Next up was an update on Gloucestershire County Council’s progress towards devolution.

A Labour councillor would not accept the report as, he claimed, he would be a turkey voting for Christmas.

Judging by his attempted impression of a turkey I hope he doesn’t give up the day job to become an animal impressionist.

His main objection seemed to centre round the fact that several unelected people would be involved in the decision making process – odd this considering he is an avid supporter of the EU where all decisions of importance are taken by the unelected Commissioners!

•After more than three hours of this we finally get to member’s motions.

First up is a motion calling on the council to support the campaign for the Forest of Dean to achieve Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty status.

Cross-party consensus seemed to be achieved except for the Green councillor who voted against the motion because it would stop the construction of wind turbines in the Statutory Forest.

Perhaps he’d rather have a forest of turbines than trees?

•After two further motions were withdrawn next up was a perfectly sensible motion asking for a working group to look at the apparent impasse between district council and Cinderford Town Council with regard to the upkeep of the Triangle.

Debate soon degenerated into ‘my dad’s bigger than your dad’ and ‘it’s my bat and ball and I’m going home’ playground antics with regard to who had what paperwork and what it said.

I can’t understand why the relevant paperwork was not available at the meeting

All in all I felt I was taking part in a re-run of Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-in – very interesting but stupid – or the Vicar of Dibley without the humour and I now look forward to my visit to ‘standards’. – Cllr Colin Guyton (UKIP), Forest of Dean District Council, Lydbrook and Ruardean.