Local Government

Local government is divided in a two-tier system into county councils and district councils. At its most basic, the county council deals with policy and issues that affect an entire county such as Hampshire, while a district council, such as Winchester district council, is a more specifically local body. Some cities are large enough that the county and district councils are a part of the some body, in which case it is a one-tier system called a unitary authority.

County Councils

County councils have an elected cabinet, lead by one person, with elections every four years. This is not the county's elected MP, who, though a representative of the electorate, has nothing to do with local government. Although there is some level of democracy in county councils, most decisions will not be debated as there are far too many, and democratic action would be too slow. The county council has a budget that is then divided up between the district councils; exactly how this money is spent comes down to the district council.

Though civil servants cannot have a political opinion, the elected members of the county cabinet belong to a party. County and district councils may come to clashes because of this, for example when Tory and Lib Dem policy contradict, such as in the issue of what cuts will fall. The county council does not necessarily have a final say in every issue despite being the more dominant in the two-tier system.

District Councils

District councils govern over the smaller segments of a council. In Hampshire alone there are eleven district councils, of which Winchester is one of. Districts are further broken up into wards, with a councillor in charge of each. The council is the first port of call for any local issues, such as road maintenance, housing and planning permission. Winchester is a typical district council, as one councillor, Kelsie Learney, has described: the major issues today is the Barton Farm housing development and road maintenance after the harsh winter.

A council's budget is dependent on its size. Winchester has a £12 million budget, which is only a tiny cut of the county's almost £2 billion budget. This budget has to cover all things under the county's purview: education, transport and housing are perhaps the three major issues. Though the county council tells the districts how much is to be cut in 2011 and in the next few years, it comes down to the district to decide where these cuts will fall exactly. As of the last few years, the district (as well as county) council must also be transparent with the where tax payer money is spent, declaring all expenditure over £500. This increased transparency brings the council closer to the public they represent, who may call and enquire over how much is spent on what.

Radio Bulletin

Uprising is the theme that grips the Middle East today. In the oil-rich Persian Gulf, Bahrain is the only country to face a large local revolt. I ask Simon Wilson , former deputy British ambassador in Bahrain, whether he thinks the spirit of revolution will spread across to other Gulf-Cooperation Council states.

In words: I think it's unlikely...

Out words: ...any time soon.

'Spare Change for Real Change' is a charity that funds homeless shelters such as the Trinity Centre in Winchester. Sue McKenna, Development Manager at the shelter, tells us the benefits of giving to the charity.

In words: But the idea is...

Out words: ...difference to homeless people.

Winchester Cathedral sees its first extension in 500 years with the opening of the Fleury building this Saturday the 5th of March.

Named after the Fleury Abbey in France, where Saint Benedict is said to be buried, one of the important additions brought to the cathedral includes extra storage space.

This new space will be used to free up the north transept, one of the original and unspoilt Norman areas dating back to the construction of the cathedral in 1079.

Interview with Simon Wilson: Complete and Unedited

This is the complete interview (almost 15 minutes long) with Simon Wilson, of which I grabbed a 40-second sound-bite for my news story.

Simon Wilson was the deputy British ambassador in Bahrain between 2001 and 2005, and has remained a frequent visitor of Bahrain after his term was over. Today he lives in Winchester. Over the weekend, we met and had a long chat on the current crackdown in Bahrain, culminating in this somewhat lengthy interview.

Radio Story: Bahrain No Template For Change In Gulf

I am severely late getting this out, but I suppose late is better than never. Below is the audio, and following it the script.





Uprising is the theme that grips the Middle East today. In the oil-rich Persian Gulf, Bahrain is the only country to face a large local revolt.

I ask Simon Wilson, former deputy British ambassador in Bahrain, whether he thinks the spirit of revolution will spread across to other Gulf Cooperation Council states.

Simon Wilson audio cut


In words: "I think it's unlikely that..."


Out words: "...coming into Saudi Arabia any time soon."


--


As a side note, one thing I'm not particularly happy about is reading out 'Gulf Cooperation Council'. It's a long-winded phrase and almost never called that - 'GCC' will do in all cases - but George pointed out that many listeners are somewhat unlikely to know what 'GCC', mentioned in the interview, is likely to stand for. I tried to explain it in the least obtrusive way possible, but I'm not sure I've done a very good job of it.

Bahraini Monarch Afraid of Boogeyman

I was just peering through Al-Jazeera and came across this gem of an article: Bahrain king speaks of 'foiled foreign plot'.

So first, the government pulled down the monument at the Pearl Roundabout. That was a couple days ago and wasn't reported as widely as it should have been. Now, they have forced the protestors to retreat using armed force, and blame Iran for all this trouble. The desperate attempts to pin the blame on anything but their own misdeeds are so shallow and see through that it boggles me to think there are people about who agree with their actions.

Winchester Cathedral opens the Fleury Building

Winchester Cathedral sees its first extension in 500 years with the opening of the Fleury Building this Saturday the 5^th of March.

Named after the Fleury Abbey in France, where Saint Benedict is said to be buried, one of the important additions brought to the cathedral includes extra storage space. This new space will be used to free up the North Transept, one of the original and unspoilt Norman areas dating back to the construction of the Cathedral in 1079.

Restoration and maintenance work has been done on the Cathedral for years. The east end was saved from completely collapsing 100 years ago, and in recent times was maintained diligently by cathedral architect, Peter Bird.

However this is the first entirely new addition to the Cathedral building since the Tudor era. The new extension was one of the last works by Bird, who passed away just a month before its completion.

Dean of Winchester and the Very Revd James Atwell said, “A new building attached to the Cathedral is much more than a very useful and practical extension, it is evidence of the continuing growth and life of the Cathedral and its community.”

Now is the Middle East's Chance for Rediscovery

The Arabs have lost sight of their history. This is something true of myself, and true of other Arabs of my generation. My own understanding of Middle Eastern history only began about a year ago, when I began reading up on it for lack of formal education. The more I learn of my history, the more aggravated I am by my education. I know my own story - though it is the exception in some respects - is true of many Arabs of my generation.

The problem with the education of Arabs - and Muslim Arabs, as most of us are - is its love affair with the origin story of Islam. Any Muslim with even a modicum of Islamic knowledge can rattle off the story to you: how the Prophet was visited by Gabriel, how he kept God's word a secret between himself and his wife at first, then revealed it to his family, and then to the greater Meccan public. They can tell you of the migration to Madina - the hijra from which the Muslim calender begins; the conflicts between the Jewish tribes and the glorious victories against great odds; the return to Mecca, where no blood was shed in a peaceful takeover; the Prophet's death, and the subsequent era of the four 'rightly guided' Caliphs. They will tell you that this era ended with the assassination of Ali Ibn Abi Talib.

That story is drilled into our heads from the first moments of our lives, and retold again and again by parents and teachers. It was the Golden Age of Islam, we are told, before Muslim society was corrupted. The Golden Age, before divergent sects evolved. The Golden Age, when Islam was most triumphant.

But little else is taught. Oh, sure, you get some knowledge - about the greatest heights of the Muslim empire in the 9th and 10th centuries and the Israel/Palestine conflict. But all this is in the shadow of the Golden Age. Saudi Arabia is perhaps the greatest testament to how revered the Golden Age is, where, despite all its potential to be a major Middle Eastern and world player, the monarchy chooses instead to rule as though they still lived in the 7th century.

It says a lot that the greatest testament to the Golden Age is the cultural failure that is Saudi Arabia. The royal family is morally corrupt, not just by Islamic standards but by broader, universal standards, as evidenced by stories such as this, where a prince battered to death his manservant. Women's rights have barely penetrated the country, where men and women are segregated and female independence is denied in almost all aspects of life. Every weekend, hordes of Saudis visit Bahrain to enjoy its more liberal values - from being able to enjoy their day without it being dictated rigorously by prayer times, to going out clubbing and drinking.

Perhaps you see where I'm going with this. The Golden Age, if it even existed, has today eclipsed the history of the Arabs, and the 1400 years between the mythical Golden Age and the present day take a back seat - if they aren't completely wiped out of memory.