New RIPA ammendment(s) probably coming in "autumn"

[Brian Gladman]

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From: "Graham" <graham.todd@ntlworld.com>
To: <ukcrypto@chiark.greenend.org.uk>
Sent: Sunday, August 04, 2002 12:27 AM
Subject: Re: New RIPA ammendment(s) probably coming in "autumn"


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On Saturday 03 Aug 2002 10:55 pm, Brian Gladman wrote:

> In my area completely unelected officials have had a big say in increasing
> Council Tax bills for policing
[snipped]

Which unelected officials (not names, but status)?

There are a number of Magistrates and also a number of government appointed
'independent' members on the Police Authorities that set the Council Tax
precept for policing.  The voting rule is that the number of elected members
in a vote has to exceed by one the number of unelected members. But this
means that one elected member working with all unelected members can
determine the outcome of a vote.

Having attended a number of Police Authority meetings, my perception is that
the non-elected members have no interest in controlling budgets and while
some elected members do have this interest there is always someone around to
side with the unelected members to push excessive budget increases through.

I know elected authority members who think this whole process stinks but the
current government does not believe in 'no taxation without representation'
and is ignoring all my attempts to get the voting rules changed so that only
elected authority members can vote on tax setting matters.

   Brian Gladman