The Government can't do maths

Everyone knows what I think about the proposal to create a single unitary authority and the undemocratic process that is going on around us. But the madness seems to be getting worse.

Today I have been reading the draft statutory instrument to be known as ‘The Cornwall (Structural Change) Order 200[7][8]’ which will set out how a single council for Cornwall is created. It is garbled, confusing and full of holes.

But most all, it shows us that the Government’s bureaucrats cannot even add up. It includes a section on the first election to the new authority to be held in 2008 or 2009 and goes on to say that the number of councillors will be increased from the County Council’s present 82 members to 100. They also say that this coming election will be fought on the County Council’s existing 71 electoral divisions and where one county councillor was previously elected, two will be elected in this new contest.

So let me get that straight. The Government aims to increase the number of councillors from 82 to 100 by doubling the number of councillors. Worried?

I had thought they were ignoring the fact that 80% of people in Cornwall were opposed to the unitary authority – I now realise that they just don’t understand what 80% means!