Local elections - a weighing up of the issues

[Heritage]

That's the same in every country I've ever lived in!!

[alan@marple]

I too can't understand why councillors - or any other public servants for that matter - should or would be particularly identified in relation to a web forum. One of the strengths of UK local politics is its accessibility through established public democracy: surgeries, offices, having councillors living in one's midst etc. Having lived in other parts of the world believe me, we have it good. I can understand that people who perhaps haven't experienced life elsewhere, or who are very passionate about an aspect of their locality, might not always appreciate that. So being curious, or affronted, that councillors haven't posted comments on a private forum which doesn't pretend to represent the entire community doesn't reflect the very good local government system that we enjoy in the UK. It might not feel like that all the time though....in which case, stand for office 

One's public views sometimes depends upon who's pocket one is in

[Heritage]

I too can't understand why councillors - or any other public servants for that matter - should or would be particularly identified in relation to a web forum. One of the strengths of UK local politics is its accessibility through established public democracy: surgeries, offices, having councillors living in one's midst etc. Having lived in other parts of the world believe me, we have it good. I can understand that people who perhaps haven't experienced life elsewhere, or who are very passionate about an aspect of their locality, might not always appreciate that. So being curious, or affronted, that councillors haven't posted comments on a private forum which doesn't pretend to represent the entire community doesn't reflect the very good local government system that we enjoy in the UK. It might not feel like that all the time though....in which case, stand for office 

[Duke Fame]

I can  understand why a councillor doesn't get involved here. Some people get personal, even on this thread we've had an opinion of a councillor based pretty much on the quality of headwear.

[alan@marple]

Is this website actually a Council funded facility - I don't think that it is - are you sure? I didn't know that - can you help out here admin?

No, the web site is not funded by the council.

It was the councillors access to the internet that was funded-not the Marple forum!!

[admin]

Is this website actually a Council funded facility - I don't think that it is - are you sure? I didn't know that - can you help out here admin?

No, the web site is not funded by the council.

[finetimefontaine]

....BUT I CANNOT RECALL EVER SEEING ONE SINGLE POSTING FROM A COUNCILLOR - NOT ONE..ABOUT ANYTHING AT ALL...I think that's very strange.   

And not strictly correct.....

Fair enough Belly - I said that I was prepared to be proved wrong and I have been - apologies to Councillor Kev - but is that the only one?

[finetimefontaine]

And that's the only one that ever I have seen.

But don't be fooled, they read the website alright, I once asked  a councillor why he did not contribute, he told me
it was considered to be private use of a council funded facility and inappropriate- how convenient!

Is this website actually a Council funded facility - I don't think that it is - are you sure? I didn't know that - can you help out here admin?

[finetimefontaine]

Why is it strange? What is the point in getting into long-running debates with people on this forum who are anonymous? It would just lead to criticism, diatribes and personal attacks from the usual suspects. All of the councillors have regular surgeries and advertise, publicly, their telephone numbers. Nothing "strange" about that. Of course, if anyone thinks they could do a better job...........

These are good points that you make and I think that I agree with most of what you say. However I wasn't really suggesting that they start blogging in earnest - just a bit of information now and again. This website I would have thought is an effective way of communicating with the community that they represent and they don't seem to use it. Lets face it they shove enough leaflets through our doors - which I don't read anymore bytheway.   

[alan@marple]

And that's the only one that ever I have seen.

But don't be fooled, they read the website alright, I once asked  a councillor why he did not contribute, he told me
it was considered to be private use of a council funded facility and inappropriate- how convenient!

[Belly]

....BUT I CANNOT RECALL EVER SEEING ONE SINGLE POSTING FROM A COUNCILLOR - NOT ONE..ABOUT ANYTHING AT ALL...I think that's very strange.    

And not strictly correct.....

http://www.marple-uk.com/smf/index.php?topic=4103.0

[Bowden Guy]

Why is it strange? What is the point in getting into long-running debates with people on this forum who are anonymous? It would just lead to criticism, diatribes and personal attacks from the usual suspects. All of the councillors have regular surgeries and advertise, publicly, their telephone numbers. Nothing "strange" about that. Of course, if anyone thinks they could do a better job...........

[finetimefontaine]

One more thing that has just occurred to me.

To state the obvious this is the Marple Community Website. Now I could be wrong and I certainly don't have the time to check every single posting that has ever been and I'm willing to be corrected. There are six local Councillors and a lot of issues that crop up in a year and probably a lot of information to be imparted and a lot of opinion to be shared. I have no way of knowing if the Marple Councillors keep in touch with this site -you would hope that they would....BUT I CANNOT RECALL EVER SEEING ONE SINGLE POSTING FROM A COUNCILLOR - NOT ONE..ABOUT ANYTHING AT ALL...I think that's very strange.   

[admin]

I’ve had a quite a lot of dealings with Marple Councillors over the last 10 or 11 years due to my involvement with the Iron Bridge Restoration, Friends of Marple Memorial Park and other community projects. As a result I have got to know most of our past and present councillors fairly well. From my perspective, as a community volunteer who likes to get things done, they have always been extremely supportive and in touch with what’s going on. In my experience they’ve also always acted with the best interest of the community in mind.

[finetimefontaine]

As you would expect there is a lot of stuff on this thread about local Councillors. I think that the consensus is that the current local Councillors are out of touch with the community of Marple. I don't know whether they are or whether they're not. I really don't know how you would measure it. I do know that being out of touch works both ways. I've seen and heard all the local Councillors on occasions and if appearances are anything to go by, then they are all individual. Surely all of them can't be out of touch with the Community the same as all of them can't be in touch to the same degree.

We all seem to hold these views about them (and I know they are there to be shot at) one of our posters actually condemns a Councillor because of the hat he/she wears - I mean, come on...!

My point is this - does anybody have any experience/contact/communication with these Councillors or do we know of anybody that has - what are our opinions actually based on. How do we know whether they are in the pub all day or that they are fighting tooth and nail for Marple behind closed Town Hall Doors. There are regular published meetings concerning all aspects of local government - all are open to the public - have any of us ever been to any? I spent a Saturday morning some time ago in Memorial Park.  One of the local Councillors was holding surgery in the library. I could clearly see them. They sat there for about two hours - not one person came. - If I was that Councillor I think that I could be forgiven for thinking - ALL'S WELL IN MARPLE....maybe we're out of touch with them.