I'm reminded of the saying 'separated by a common language', I appreciate English isn't the first language of a good proportion of CC members and also that words/ sentences can have quite a difference in meaning between Brits, Aussies and North Americans.
Maybe Keefie understands what I've posted better, but then again different parts of the UK have their own usage too
Anyways, structure is key, taking one major issue, infractions -
When the system was put in place someone should have realised what could potentially happen and put forward amendments to the rules, their interpretation and how they were exercised. This didn't happen.
Once the infractions started occurring then rather than blindly charge on with 'these are the rules' the CDs should have realised that the system was flawed and done something about it.
Straight talking is all well and good, but when something isn't working properly it needs to be fixed, it needs to be fixed immediately!
Regardless of whatever internal communications the CDs were engaged in (if any), an issue was not deal with properly.
Whilst you may well need one or two more CDs to do the housekeeping, it may well be an idea to have someone overseeing the whole corner of the site, maybe at admin level to simply say, 'no, that's not going to work/ working, change it'.
If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through