Mais non,mon ami. Pour le deuxieme temps....

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "There is no solace In I told you so":

Could it be that Staff are not allowed to answer questions because there is a very real danger that the councillors might discover that they do not possess answers? Just Asking.
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I don't think so. 
The policy of staff not being allowed to provide information to Councillors was struck during the last term. 
We all know who had iron fist control after the turnover of senior members of the administration.  
No-one knew it better than staff.
That's when we lost institutional memory of how things are done at the municipal level to conform to  proper and accountable procedure.
New policies were created to sideline authority of Council and place all power in the hands of  one.
Council is still being sidelined. 
Last night,I watched A Man For All Seasons  on Saturday Night at the Movies ..
It is a  dissertation many hours long, on the meaning of law.  
A mad monarch, surrounded by toadying creatures versus a  man who never lost focus in his attempt to do the right thing AND  keep his head on his shoulders.  
I shall watch it agin at the next opportunity. And the next and the next.