My guests today Clr.Tony Buchanan SNP Council leader East Renfrewshire, Clr. Leigh Wilson Alba Party spokesperson on Local Authorities. Julie Mcanulty ISP spokesperson LA. We discuss the upcoming elections and the trials and tribulations of being a Councillor and the problems that Local Government face daily.
While others snipe and divide Through A S ottish Prism continues to listen to all independence parties. We believe debate is healthy and a benefit for our cause of independence.
From Noon Sunday.
Quite clearly we can be in no doubt that Local Authority budgets are in grave danger of failure to provide the essential services required to support our communities. It was quite heartening to hear the general agreement that radical change to the funding process requires to be addressed whether by local income tax schemes, change to business tax rates or LAND TAX, and already I hear WISHART bowin’ an’ scrapin’ afore his Estate ownin’ fraternity squealin’ it wisnae me ah widnae dae that! The elephant in the room as always is THE SNP LED SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT totally impervious to change preferring the it’s aw Westminster’s fau’t fa’ back excuse.
David Hendry highlights the shortcomings and apparent dearth of expertise available within Scottish Government circles negotiating? away on our behalf valuable natural assets. His observations, “Scotland must wake up and take responsibility” and “we want serious politicians” have to be at the forefront of all our campaigning in the run up to the May council elections. ALBA LET’S GET SERIOUS!
Roddy another excellent prism , they are so informative , as you rightly assert councillors appear to be the cinderellas in the political arena , they are at the coalface when it comes to apportioning and prioritising the finances allocated to them , which then begs the question WHY are so many resources and finances allocated to MSP’S and MP’S, WHY are so many SPADS required especially the increase within the NSNP hierarchy what is it they actually do and how is their work beneficial to the electorate
The input of all the councillors in reference to the importance of local services and the financial management and expectations of the locals is indeed a balancing act and is deserving of more in depth publicity and scrutiny
I note however when questioned on the forthcoming local election what would the policies be that would be a priority of their campaign for election , the ALBA representative and ISP representative both included women’s rights and child poverty front and centre whilst Tony from the NSNP IGNORED the rights of women , if I were a voter (male or female) in his ward I would assume Tony was supportive of the NSNP’S hatred of real women and girls and would emphatically NOT vote for Tony
I thoroughly enjoyed David Henry’s interview, his exposure and criticism of sturgeon’s inept and inappropriate attempts to dress her GIVEAWAY as anything other than a betrayal to Scots and Scotland was masterful
Can I appeal to you Roddy to separate David Henry’s part in the prism to a stand alone section outwith the conversation it truly deserves to be circulated widely
And David can I ask you to use Roddy’s interview on the prism as part of your electoral tools to garner support for your election , I believe you came across as a very enlightened educated person whose focus is on the betterment of Scotland NOT party political games
Well said twathater, I continue to have grave concerns over the participation of SNP members particularly those who are or have been elected to political office at any time and STILL remain in that organisation in full recognition (you might hope) of the damage that is being done to our country and the Independence movement. It does however highlight any misconception I might have had about the SNP delivering Independence.
I concur fully with the remarks in the final paragraph of your commentary and it beggars belief this level of political discourse is not abroad in the SNP. They cannae aw be feart, or stupit, surely naw?
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When councils are shortchanged none of the elected SNP councillors are not allowed to complain. SNP rules. In Midlothian the SNP council leader was voted into asking Derek McKay for extra funding when she was to meet him. She did not do this citing that “She did not want to be the only SNP council to ask for extra money”. They were emptied next election. When the SNP were offered seats by Labour in the close run council 7-6-5 they said only if the Labour Group did not criticise the SNP. The Labour Leader replied he would not even do that for his own party. The SNP refused and the Midlothian council was and is run by Labour group itself.
If I may comment Roddy I hear all of the clarion calls about Council underfunding. And yes, they may be well meaning. Very well meaning.
What however I do not hear is calls for council inefficiency and corruption to be rooted out. For years corruption and mismanagement was the hallmark of Labour. But these last fifteen years the SNP have done nothing whatsoever to address mismanagement and corruption. And now they are very much part of it. And not just at local government level.
Maybe public service is inherently rotten with corruption and inefficiency. Maybe this is the price that you just have to pay. And like the so called war on drugs where the SNP have let the drug problem grow, the dark money percolate into building development, pubs and clubs, taxis and saunas. Money talks, and talks big with officials and one has to say certain police officers too.
So yes I hear the clarion calls from all of these councillors about funding. But you know what, far too many of their officials are no different from the Tories in Westminster glad handing the special chums. But we donβt want to talk about that and in not doing so we further undermine the worthwhile principal of public service.
New Labour, New SNP, they are grimly both the same. Same as the Tories in fact.
Willie you speak in truth, the SNP are incapable of addressing the change required to root out corruption in Government at National and Local level for the very obvious reason that corruption lies at the heart of the parties own management? structures and until such time it is excised no change will emerge.
There is absolutely no doubt officialdom conspires at all levels to achieve outcomes favourable to mammon and in some instances their own hip pockets and the results are clear to behold in the continuing deprivation abroad in our local communities.
For those who may not yet have viewed THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN a documentary in two parts in which Campbell Martin former SNP MSP reports on potential criminality in the field of PPP contract procurement, I would highly recommend and urge you to do so. It brings into sharp focus the web of agencies facilitating corruption in the sphere of public spending. It is currently available to view on You Tube.
Robert I would second that proposal , and TBQH it would benefit ALBA to encourage Campbell Martin , Alf Baird and Breeks himself to stand for office either as a official of ALBA or as independents , those persons are who we NEED fighting for independence or the shower of liars and troughers SQUATTING in HR
ππ»ππ»ππ»Well Said.