BigMouth Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 I think that Ms Miller has been very fortunate, just imagine how her campaign would have been affected if she had have taken this tack before the election or am I just being naive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 Would perhaps be interesting to learn how the media became aware of the notice to quit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 Maybe a silly question, but, would the people who voted "A certain Councillor" in to office, be ultimately responsible for this shambles??If she, oops, the said councillor, had not gained public office, Hodge would still be sitting without planning permission and the building would be worth nothing to any prospective supermarket, or whatever. Methinks this new council has at least one member with questionable reasons for being there.. But, I'm just spaekin sh*te, or at least thinking it, as usual... Or am I??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandhopper Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 ... Methinks this new council has at least one member with questionable reasons for being there.. ... what leads me to another question: Following the Councillors Code of Conduct under the Scottish Ethic Standards etc. Act an elected councillor should have registered interests declared "just after being elected" ... well some scholars allow a 60 days pardon or so ... Where are those of the "independent" SIC councillors??? "Party controlled" councillors in other county councils further south did at least that job. Searching the SIC website where the registered interests should be published the majority of the councillors has declared nothing so far ... and the rest of the declarations date back to 2005 ... 2003 etc. without any "update" ... although there was the one or other "upgrade" in between and according to the media ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 If she, oops, the said councillor, had not gained public office, Hodge would still be sitting without planning permission and the building would be worth nothing to any prospective supermarket, or whatever. I'd agree that the situation does not look good, but I think the planning permission was always going to be given on appeal, because of the mistakes in the local plan rather than any political dimensions. I can understand both sides of the issue, as you'd be a pretty stupid property developer to sell somebody a building for £X knowing that they could turn round and sell it on for £5X. I don't think it's particularly fair, but if you want to guarantee that, you need to get yourself a contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlander Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 Maybe a silly question, but, would the people who voted "A certain Councillor" in to office, be ultimately responsible for this shambles??If she, oops, the said councillor, had not gained public office, Hodge would still be sitting without planning permission and the building would be worth nothing to any prospective supermarket, or whatever. Methinks this new council has at least one member with questionable reasons for being there.. But, I'm just spaekin sh*te, or at least thinking it, as usual... Or am I??? Spaekin sh*te my friend. Mrs Millers’ election to the Council had no bearing whatsoever on planning permission being granted. As soon as the appeal was made, the matter was taken out of the hands of the Council. The hearing was held months before she officially announced she was standing. As far as I am aware, no decisions relating to Hodge or the premises in question have been made at a Council meeting at which she has attended as councillor. Until that happens, I really can’t see any reasonable basis to allege that there has been any conflict of interest. Mrs Millers spirited efforts to argue for a retail approval for the site may well have contributed to her victory at the ballot box. But why should that remove her and her husbands rights as property owners to receive rent from Hodge or to give him his marching orders for whatever legally sound reasons they see fit? I really don’t see the problem here. I stay in a rented flat – I pay every month for the privilege of doing so and – leasing/gentlemans agreement or not - if I didn’t pay I would have every expectation to be threatened with eviction, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 As soon as the appeal was made, the matter was taken out of the hands of the Council. I would like to believe that to be true, but the timing and the nature of the announcement of the outcome of the appeal, lends itself to creating endless grounds for suspicion something else may have been the case.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorgrim Posted July 2, 2007 Report Share Posted July 2, 2007 something strange going on here, lets see if hodge leaves and lidl moves in. could be a case of now that retail planning permission has been granted, sell to the highest bidder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khitajrah Posted July 2, 2007 Report Share Posted July 2, 2007 something strange going on here, lets see if hodge leaves and lidl moves in. could be a case of now that retail planning permission has been granted, sell to the highest bidder how is that a bad thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorgrim Posted July 2, 2007 Report Share Posted July 2, 2007 i never said it was bad, just odd that suddenly after becoming a councillor the millers niow want rid of mr hodge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlander Posted July 2, 2007 Report Share Posted July 2, 2007 As soon as the appeal was made, the matter was taken out of the hands of the Council. I would like to believe that to be true, but the timing and the nature of the announcement of the outcome of the appeal, lends itself to creating endless grounds for suspicion something else may have been the case.... Oh the cynicism that abounds on this forum about the Council…… Councils have no influence whatsoever on when decisions are made on planning appeals. Appellants and Councils are notified of the outcome in writing by the Scottish Executive at the same time. A copy of the very letter Mrs Miller received is available for all to see on the Scottish Executive website and is dated 3 May which (by pure coincidence it would seem) was the date of the election. As I recall it, the decision was reported by the local press the day afterwards. So who in your suspicious mind was hiding what from whom and for what reason? I really don’t see what Mrs Millers election to the Council has to do with any of this at all. What do the Millers stand to gain now that they wouldn’t have had she not been elected? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted July 2, 2007 Report Share Posted July 2, 2007 As soon as the appeal was made, the matter was taken out of the hands of the Council. I would like to believe that to be true, but the timing and the nature of the announcement of the outcome of the appeal, lends itself to creating endless grounds for suspicion something else may have been the case.... Oh the cynicism that abounds on this forum about the Council…… Who said cynicism was reserved exclusively for the council? I was referring to the big picture, the whole picture. The council are but one relatively inconsequencial rung on a pretty rickety ladder. Councils have no influence whatsoever on when decisions are made on planning appeals. Sorry, but this head has been round the block far too many times to buy this "ideal" case scenario as likely. If you want me to believe that both elected members at all levels of government, and hired personnel working at all levels of government do not have "informal", "off the record" contact with each other behind the scenes, and have discussions relating to current issues at hand, which ultimately influences the eventual outcome of said issues, you're going to have a long wait. A copy of the very letter Mrs Miller received is available for all to see on the Scottish Executive website and is dated 3 May which (by pure coincidence it would seem) was the date of the election. As I recall it, the decision was reported by the local press the day afterwards. So who in your suspicious mind was hiding what from whom and for what reason? I really don’t see what Mrs Millers election to the Council has to do with any of this at all. What do the Millers stand to gain now that they wouldn’t have had she not been elected? The question I keep finding myself asking myself, is, would the outcome of the appeal have been the same if the election results had been different? And that doesn't refer to just Mrs Miller's position, that refers to the whole shebang, right the way to the top of everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khitajrah Posted July 2, 2007 Report Share Posted July 2, 2007 get somone (like tesco for example) in with a degree of interest in the islanders (we will be so rewarded), who cares where the money now goes or who gets it. we dont get to benefit, Hodges is junk; a cheap ugly poundshop. I can not wait to see the stupid building closed and knocked down. I dont like to see every car windscreen plastered with "sales today" notices from Chris Hodge, every lamp-post with chris hodge, now he has a stupid white van driving round with his ugly signs on, get rid of cheap as chips seconds hodge and build us somewhere to shop with benefits to shoppers with loyalty cards worth something, somewhere we can have pride, and really who cares who wins a sale from this building, we dont get to see the money but we do need a better view of what we now have, build us a big supermarket, its cheap petrol, food clothes, everything under one roof, and they dont vandalise the town with posters offering upto 70% off sale prices. Do this to shetland and then give the high street over to tourism, cafe society, quality clothes shops and just nice stuff, we are close to it with a lot of the high street retailers being really attractive, but generally I think we are a poor cheep lucking greyness, as specially when I see Hodge offers everywhere. Lets just hope who ever moves in, will benefit the locals who will shop there, and good luck to the seller of the building, I look forward to seeing the Hodge signs no more.the futures bright, not blue and yellow (Khitajrah's man) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances144 Posted July 2, 2007 Report Share Posted July 2, 2007 get somone (like tesco for example) in with a degree of interest in the islanders (we will be so rewarded),(Khitajrah's man) Tell me you are joking, please? You can't really believe that Tesco's will have any "degree of interest in the islanders" can you? http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/tesco_growth_must_be_check_12042005.html http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article2723250.ece http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article2055599.ece Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted July 2, 2007 Report Share Posted July 2, 2007 The question I keep finding myself asking myself, is, would the outcome of the appeal have been the same if the election results had been different? And that doesn't refer to just Mrs Miller's position, that refers to the whole shebang, right the way to the top of everything. I like a good conspiracy theory as much as anyone else but you're stretching things a bit to much here. I think you need to get out more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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