Hallelujah!

It's so good having an opposition, and proper arguments in Full Council meetings! They're in danger of becoming seriously entertaining!

One of the best bits last night was Stephen Padmore's contribution to the 'class war' debate (on a motion about Monson School and Aske's). He was positively evangelical, proving that there's still an overwhelming Labour majority when it comes to serious professional shouting. When he started talking about how so many hundreds of the working class people of New Cross flock to his house, to rejoice in the aura of Socialism there (but not of Socialist Party councillors, obviously), it did occur to me (I'm only two seats away from his usual pulpit in the Council chamber) to check that he'd already got the proper planning permission to use it as a place of worship (Class D1 of the Use Classes Order 1987, and all that). But I'm sure he would have. There was even someone joining-in from the public gallery, but he might have been speaking in tongues because his point wasn't as crystal clear as Stephen's.

I'm definitely going to suggest that (in the interests of open democracy, etc, etc) we start streaming Council meetings as video. The only problem with that is likely to be the technology, because one of the things that adds an extra frisson at present is the plain old PA stuff we have now - the uncertainty, when anyone stands up to speak, of knowing who's mike is going to get switched-on, and who (else's) name is going to come up on the screen that says how much of their 5 minutes they have left. But, of course, Lewisham's a much too austere and responsible council to waste the taxpayer's money on that sort of stuff lightly.

So to appreciate the full experience, you'll still have to regard it as live theatre and come along - as Max Calo did, to bask (and be fair - he deserves it just a bit) briefly in the warm reflection of Good Steve Bullock's* selfless heroism in saving Ladywell Pool.

[* We heard about Bad Steve Bullock, the Mayor's EvilTwin, from the LibDems too - but such was the spirit of righteousness and brotherhood in the Council chamber last night, he definitely didn't show his face.]