ONE Haverhill slammed at town meeting for 'secrecy'
Wednesday, 28th May 2014.
The continuing refusal of the ONE Haverhill board to meet in public was slammed by the town's residents at the well-attended annual town meeting last night
The annual town meeting, which followed the annual meeting of Haverhill Town Council gives residents the opportunity to raise any issues that concern them.
Among a wide range of issues, complaints and suggestions, the most intense feeling was displayed over the meetings of the board of ONE Haverhill being held behind closed doors.
Residents plied town mayor Cllr Roger Andre with questions about the plans to create a youth hub in the town, for which the town council has earmarked £200,000, but which is a ONE Haverhill project.
John Burns said he had asked several questions about the project and received no answers, while county councillor Tony Brown said he had asked questions of ONE Haverhill itself and not got any response.
Cllr Andre said he could not answer for ONE Haverhill, but he also could not defend the organisation's refusal to meet in public.
Town councillors had several times tried to get this changed but without success. Residents asked why this was.
Cllr Maureen Byrne said: "I think some people on ONE Haverhill are afraid of being intimidated by members of the public if they were to attend."
It was explained that many members of ONE Haverhill were not elected people but from a variety of different parts of the community.
The main problem was with business people who were not used to their board meetings being held under the scrutiny of the public.
The annual town meeting, which followed the annual meeting of Haverhill Town Council gives residents the opportunity to raise any issues that concern them.
Among a wide range of issues, complaints and suggestions, the most intense feeling was displayed over the meetings of the board of ONE Haverhill being held behind closed doors.
Residents plied town mayor Cllr Roger Andre with questions about the plans to create a youth hub in the town, for which the town council has earmarked £200,000, but which is a ONE Haverhill project.
John Burns said he had asked several questions about the project and received no answers, while county councillor Tony Brown said he had asked questions of ONE Haverhill itself and not got any response.
Cllr Andre said he could not answer for ONE Haverhill, but he also could not defend the organisation's refusal to meet in public.
Town councillors had several times tried to get this changed but without success. Residents asked why this was.
Cllr Maureen Byrne said: "I think some people on ONE Haverhill are afraid of being intimidated by members of the public if they were to attend."
It was explained that many members of ONE Haverhill were not elected people but from a variety of different parts of the community.
The main problem was with business people who were not used to their board meetings being held under the scrutiny of the public.
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