[milton-chat] Please remember to vote on Thursday 3rd May

[Paul Oldham]

On 25/04/07 21:10 David Barr wrote:

> I think that is called a tactical email.  The subject of the email was good
> but it was downhill from there on. Surprised it wasn't moderated!

This list isn't moderated (except for newbies and usually only for their 
first posting as an anti-spam filter) but Tim had the courtesy to ask me 
before he made that posting, not least as he and I were worried about 
electoral law issues (which there aren't any it turns out).

For the record I think what he's saying makes very good sense. The 
Labour Party have put up candidates in every ward in SCDC this time and 
it appears that, like last time they did it, they're doing it solely so 
that they can say that they have and it boosts their national figures on 
election day.

In Milton the chap they put up last time didn't appear to really live in 
Milton, never put out a leaflet or canvassed and didn't turn up at 
either the polling station or the count. Despite that he got over 100 
votes as sadly some people vote by party rather than candidate.

I've been in the local politics game for ten years now and in truth the 
reality is that it really doesn't matter much what party your local 
councillors label themselves as because what local councils can do is so 
proscribed by central government that whoever is in charge the general 
direction the authority takes is pretty similar.

It seems to me that what matters is what they can do for the community 
they represent, whatever party flag they wrap themselves in. They are 
the people that should be making things happen. Should be identifying 
issues. And should be sorting them out.

I've seen some local councillors in other wards who get elected and did 
diddly squat afterwards. Others who do turn up for meetings but are 
clearly way out of their depth (and there's quite a lot of those on SCDC 
sadly, although not in Milton thank goodness). Then there are others who 
work bloody hard for their communities and we're lucky in Milton at the 
moment to have two who do.

So I hope people do read the leaflets that are doing the rounds and, if 
the candidates turn up on the door step, ask them some searching questions.

Oh, and you might also like to ask them how they're going to vote if the 
cabinet sticks by its decision to close the Country Park.
-- 
Paul