JustMe Posted September 4, 2006 Report Share Posted September 4, 2006 sailor wroteThe whole point of elected people is that they act on the views of the people who elect them. Not quite!. Candidates may have a political manifesto to live up to or they may just have pledged to strive to serve the best interests of the people who elected them but when it comes to taking decisions they may need to accept that the broader issues matter more than the wishes of the area they represent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMouth Posted September 4, 2006 Report Share Posted September 4, 2006 I think that I should stand. Vote BigMouth - no more rubber-spined decision dodging Sounds snappy to me Policies: - Close some schools - the ones that protest the most. Scuttle the white whale Slash the SIC workforce Anyone got a spare flack jacket 8O Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted September 4, 2006 Report Share Posted September 4, 2006 I think that I should stand. Vote BigMouth - no more rubber-spined decision dodging Sounds snappy to me Policies: - Close some schools - the ones that protest the most. Scuttle the white whale Slash the SIC workforce Anyone got a spare flack jacket 8O That would all of the senior management and most of the middle management that would be making a one way trip to the Jobcentre then wouldn't it?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMouth Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 That would all of the senior management and most of the middle management that would be making a one way trip to the Jobcentre then wouldn't it?!? I would just trim the fat ...and charge the rest for parking in residential areas ...start the move of all Lerwick offices to new large industrial buildings in Gremista with centralised admin services. Sack any manager that takes on new staff. Sell off the properties in town for housing. Build offices on the islands, double the ferry fares, move the bus timetables to 5:15 so that people have actually got a chance to use the buses to leave work who would like to. Build a tunnel to Bressay, sack the ferry crew. Sell one of the Yell ferries....... Got a bit carried away there ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlander Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 Voicing our opinions about how things are done within the Council is indeed a healthy part of the democratic process. My point was that at election time, we all have the opportunity (whether we decide to exercise it or not) to stand ourselves if we are unhappy with the current crop of councillors. Many of us will have our reasons - or in some cases excuses - to decide not to stand and yes, I appreciate that what is essentially a four year temporary job is justifiably an issue for those with family/financial commitments. But if those reasons are good enough for us, aren't they just as good for everyone else? So why should we expect other new people to stand (and then moan if no-one does) if we recognise why we don't want to ourselves? As far as the electoral reforms go - and I might be wrong here - my own thoughts are that more folk might be encouraged to put themselves forward if they aren't going to be contesting a single seat against a strong/well known candidate who has served on the Council before. Yes it would be good to get in new people with fresh ideas. But who are those people going to be if they aren't you or me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 That would all of the senior management and most of the middle management that would be making a one way trip to the Jobcentre then wouldn't it?!? I would just trim the fat ...and charge the rest for parking in residential areas ...start the move of all Lerwick offices to new large industrial buildings in Gremista with centralised admin services. Sack any manager that takes on new staff. Sell off the properties in town for housing. Build offices on the islands, double the ferry fares, move the bus timetables to 5:15 so that people have actually got a chance to use the buses to leave work who would like to. Build a tunnel to Bressay, sack the ferry crew. Sell one of the Yell ferries....... Got a bit carried away there ..... You'd get my vote....I might even know a man with a spare flack jacket for sale too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMouth Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 I would be quite happy to stand for councillor. Since being in Shetland I have only managed to secure a two year part-time contract, ad-hoc working and an 18 month part time contract. So a four year post sounds brilliant! The problem is that the first piece of advice that you get here when you arrive up the sooth mooth is that you shouldn't try to change anything, so you lot appear to be stuck between soothies who have the courage to change things, for whom you wont vote, and the present crop of councillors who wont change anything because they are so tied up with their own and family/friends interests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 BigMouth wroteThe problem is that the first piece of advice that you get here when you arrive up the sooth mooth is that you shouldn't try to change anything, so you lot appear to be stuck between soothies who have the courage to change things, for whom you wont vote, and the present crop of councillors who wont change anything because they are so tied up with their own and family/friends interests. Seems to me that there are a lot of south mouth voices to be heard on the street. Get them behind you and for the right seat you would certainly have a chance of being elected. On a more general note is there anyone out there who has the time and the inclination to set up a "Change the SIC" party before the next election?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheesht Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 The problem is that the first piece of advice that you get here when you arrive up the sooth mooth is that you shouldn't try to change anything, so you lot appear to be stuck between soothies who have the courage to change things, for whom you wont vote, and the present crop of councillors who wont change anything because they are so tied up with their own and family/friends interests. "You lot", that'll certainly help! God knows who gave you that "advice" but I very much doubt it is true. But if you PM your name to me, after that rant I can avoid your name when I put my cross next May, just in case you happen to stand in my ward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMouth Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 "You lot", that'll certainly help! God knows who gave you that "advice" but I very much doubt it is true. But if you PM your name to me, after that rant I can avoid your name when I put my cross next May, just in case you happen to stand in my ward. You only have to look at many other topics on this forum to see that change or suggestions of change are not welcome. I wish that I had a pound for every time that I had heard someone saying that as soon as soothmoothers come up here they want to start changing things. It wasn't a rant, but a statement of fact (as I see it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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