Annual GERS Figures

[BCram]

Thanks Islay. The resignation because you have made a mistake or things have gone wrong on your watch seems to me to be a throw back to the days when councillors were public spirited volunteers who perhaps got out of pocket expenses only, as a way of thanking them for the hours of voluntary work that they put in. Nobody expected them to be actually competent in all the tasks that councils had to deliver but they were expected to listen to professional advice and if they had any sense they would know exactly what their electorate thought and make sure those issues were thoroughly investigated.

Paying councillors seems to have attracted professional party based politicians where winning political battles by voting for your party line supersedes, nearly said trumps, common sense.

We can't go back but somehow employing local councillors has undermined their value IMO. There is the problem of wanting to have councillors who truly represent all of their constituents and there is a valid argument that volunteering favours the independently wealthy who can afford to take on the job. We need people of ability regardless of wealth and I think we need a different sense of loyalty for local councillors, party politics should not be the priority for candidates.

[islaydarkblue]

Thanks Islay. The resignation because you have made a mistake or things have gone wrong on your watch seems to me to be a throw back to the days when councillors were public spirited volunteers who perhaps got out of pocket expenses only, as a way of thanking them for the hours of voluntary work that they put in. Nobody expected them to be actually competent in all the tasks that councils had to deliver but they were expected to listen to professional advice and if they had any sense they would know exactly what their electorate thought and make sure those issues were thoroughly investigated.


Paying councillors seems to have attracted professional party based politicians where winning political battles by voting for your party line supersedes, nearly said trumps, common sense.

We can't go back but somehow employing local councillors has undermined their value IMO. There is the problem of wanting to have councillors who truly represent all of their constituents and there is a valid argument that volunteering favours the independently wealthy who can afford to take on the job. We need people of ability regardless of wealth and I think we need a different sense of loyalty for local councillors, party politics should not be the priority for candidates.

Back in 2002 local government councillors were paid a salary in addition to lavish expenses. There is no obligation for local authority councillors to be full time and they can have another full time job if they wish.
There is even an Argyll and Bute councillor who lives in Dumbarton and only qualifies as the his of the payroll of a business owned by a fellow Argyll and Bute councillor.
I am sure that you can remember the ‘bad old days’ when Dundee City councillors were paid for attending meetings. I remember reading in the Courier that on one occasion the Dundee City councillors held a meeting one evening which lasted for 5 minutes and was then ended to allow the councillors to go home to watch a football which was being televised live on TV.
All these councillors received there usual fee for attending a council meeting even though it lasted only 5 minutes. There was an outcry about this abuse of claiming expenses which no doubt happened all over the country. I believe that all councillors shoul be independent. Alternatively I can remember a number of Dundee City councillors representing the Progressive and Ratepayers party.
The problem nowadays is that we have local authority councillors who are either retired and this is a ‘nice wee earner’ to augment their pension, councillors who are looking to progress into standing for election as an MSP or MP and some councillors who are unemployable in a normal job so they get elected as a ‘full time’ councillor.
There used to be local authority councillors on Islay who were elected without a vote as nobody stood against them.

[grantzer]

Back in 2002 local government councillors were paid a salary in addition to lavish expenses. There is no obligation for local authority councillors to be full time and they can have another full time job if they wish.
There is even an Argyll and Bute councillor who lives in Dumbarton and only qualifies as the his of the payroll of a business owned by a fellow Argyll and Bute councillor.
I am sure that you can remember the ‘bad old days’ when Dundee City councillors were paid for attending meetings. I remember reading in the Courier that on one occasion the Dundee City councillors held a meeting one evening which lasted for 5 minutes and was then ended to allow the councillors to go home to watch a football which was being televised live on TV.
All these councillors received there usual fee for attending a council meeting even though it lasted only 5 minutes. There was an outcry about this abuse of claiming expenses which no doubt happened all over the country. I believe that all councillors shoul be independent. Alternatively I can remember a number of Dundee City councillors representing the Progressive and Ratepayers party.
The problem nowadays is that we have local authority councillors who are either retired and this is a ‘nice wee earner’ to augment their pension, councillors who are looking to progress into standing for election as an MSP or MP and some councillors who are unemployable in a normal job so they get elected as a ‘full time’ councillor.
There used to be local authority councillors on Islay who were elected without a vote as nobody stood against them.

You forgot the ones who are just good at being councillors...

Can we start a separate forum for 'islay rants'?

[BCram]

You forgot the ones who are just good at being councillors...

Can we start a separate forum for 'islay rants'?

You just need to keep pointing out any slight errors in his posts.

[islaydarkblue]

You forgot the ones who are just good at being councillors...

Can we start a separate forum for 'islay rants'?

I have yet to find any good Argyll and Bute councillors and I can think of seveoral hopeless councillors
as far back as the days of Tayside Regional Council.
Dundee Town Council back in the late 1960’s was so corrupt it was alleged that the Mafia in Italy were in awe of them.
This was in regards of the awarding of contracts to build council houses.