15/1/2021

Cllr David MacDonald has posted on their facebook page -

Cllr David Macdonald - An Independent voice for people
3 hrs ·

Things that hold a local authority back from progressing forward and providing statutory provision to 100% efficiency.

In no partucular order.

1) political parties

2) "we know best" culture / stubbornness / boneheadedness

3) Fag breakers / mug holders/ clock watchers

4) highly overpaid department heads/ chief executives with gold plated pension packages.

5) decision makers with absolutely no tangible vision.

6) councillors who act more like cheerleaders than those who are supposed to scrutinise, evaluate and hold to account the decisions of the local authority.

7) monetary waste on stupid expenditure like £250,000 on virtual reality headsets, generous "voluntary retirement (whatever that is?) packages and questionable sales of council owned land selling for well below market value.

8) constant hiring of private contractors to undertake" feasibility studies" rather than undertaking the work within the council.

9) having a work culture within the council where habitual poor performers are not demoted or let go but rather moved sideways to different departments.

10) The council department heads never challenging poor working practices but rather ignoring it and settling for the status quo.

Councils have become a safe haven for many who do the bare minimum, seek the absolute maximum and are protected by one another when questioned about it.

An effective stable for shire horses rather than a starting gate of pedigree racehorses hungry to succeed.

People better prepare themselves for the future regarding councils and the work they do.

Covid 19 is going to become the ubiquitous excuse nationwide for why things never get done, never got done, never can be done and never will be done.

The only way you will ever have a chance of getting a council that performs well is if you elect individuals who have 0 party affiliation and who are never afraid of saying what needs to be said and holding the council to account for it's shortcomings.

If people continue to vote tribally at council elections for party candidates then it will enable the councils to continue in offering a mediocre service provision because they will NEVER be held to account properly.

I am hopeful that come the next election we will have as many independent candidates as possible to run for council seats.

The council needs to be in control of individuals who only have the best interests of people in mind and not those who care about party policy first.

I hope that during my almost 4 years in the job I have been seen to use my privileged position for the benefit of people in my ward.

To make them more aware of the underlying issues at a council and to highlight what must happen in order to effect must needed change.

At election time.

You only get what you vote for.

Comments

- You are correct, covid 19 will be no1 reason ,but that should not stop the basics being delivered,roads terrible before covid ,health and social in places terrible before covid, expenditure not always for the whole area, little benefit as example given.
These elections will matter ,question is will people vote or have they just had enough of the lies.

- Good post David. Lot of truths in there

- I feel the councillor will do their best work if they actually live in the area and their children, if they have any, attend the local schools. Too many councillors using their seat as a stepping stone in their political career, with no real interest in the area or its residents!

- Yes, that's my point.

-Author
Cllr David Macdonald - An Independent voice for people
No worries or disagreements there. I live in the ward and my kids attend a primary school in the ward.

- MPs used to have clout it must be very difficult continually banging your head off a brick wall of Cronyism ! It seems now though that ERC management are a law unto themselves

- Excellent post and very true