The Conservative candidate for Police Czar has criticised me, publicly, for leaving a meeting of the Council [after one hour of speeches by Conservative Cabinet members] to chair the Southwell Safer Neighbourhood Group!

In a Tweet message he said “Prof/Cllr Harris’s stay so brief he did not raise the issues he said he would. Priorities Dr/Cllr Harris.!!”.

The Safer Neighbourhood Group, which meets on a regular timetable, did clash with the Council meeting this month. The Council meeting started at 17h30 and I left after 80 minutes of speeches, where it was not possible to make any further relevant points for Southwell and Caunton’s residents.

It was unfortunate that the meeting was taken up with speechifying that no useful contribution could be made – however, the SNG meeting was productive for the safety and security of Southwell’s residents.

Notes of the Safer Neighbourhood Group meeting are already published and can be found here. [You may have to be a Yahoo Group user to access them – but access is free]

I think that I made the right decision – there was nothing further I could add at Kelham Hall, dominated as it is by decision making totally in the hands of six Conservative Cabinet members . After 80 minutes at the Council meeting it was more important to follow up local residents issues where it matters – in Southwell!