The SNP who did miserably in these parts of the Borders are now having a bit of a post election moan. Their
cri de coeur is in this weeks Berwickshire To wit:
- I am very disappointed that the motion proposed by Councillor Donald Moffat and which represents the SNP’s manifesto commitment to end the current cabinet structure within Scottish Borders Council has not been reported to date in the press.
This was a substantive motion which I believe would have delivered a more democratic style of government to the people of the Borders and would have encouraged a wider debating forum across the political spectrum.
No-one would have been left out and all members of the electorate would be represented in the council chamber.
There is a growing feeling amongst opposition groups that we are being marginalised at all levels in Scottish Borders Council.
The latest utterances from Councillors Houston and Bhatia at the recent planning meeting that ward councillors who are not members of the committee should not be allowed to speak on matters in their area flies in the face of democracy and those two councillors should be thoroughly ashamed of even thinking about such a tactic.
How they dare to call themselves Democrats beggars belief . . . could it be that we are entering a “dog eat dog” era of local politics?
The latest piece of nonsense that has come to my attention is that a letter has been sent to community councils asking them who they want to be their councillor representative.
Let me make my position and that of the SNP in the Borders quite clear - we will be attending all our community councils within our wards wherever possible or practicable.
COUNCILLOR BILL HERD,
Leader SNP Group,
Scottish Borders Council. Translation: we did badly in the elections, hardly anyone voted for us but we would still like to share power. Tough. The problem you lot have is called democracy.
As for a dog eat dog era in local politics-now there
is a novel concept for you.
Note an ominous threat about community councils. Thank goodness we have no SNP councillor in our ward -East Berwickshire-SNP candidate came way bottom of the poll. However if it was the question of a swap between Tory Conundrum and a SNP councillor from else where-and that was the only offer on the table, then I am sure our CC would consider it:
Very carefully.
As Hoots Mc Tavish of That Ilk used to say when out of his cups:
Better the devil you don't know than the one you do'
Labels: Borders, Community Councils, Local Elections, SNP
