alternative vote

[steeljack]

On the contrary, it is the electorate who need to be better informed about what their councillors actually do for them. From talking to the public on the doorsteps and across the borough it becomes apparent that a vast number vote for the badge and not the person, regardless of how good a job they are doing.

Many people seem to be under the impression that a vote for Labour in the Rishton election is a vote to put Ed Milliband in 10 Downing Street on May 6th or that a Tory vote will keep David Cameron in power and it is an uphill struggle to convince people of the difference between local and national elections.

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Not to sure how I feel about this post , think if I was a Rishton voter I could really take offense that a candidate/Party looking for my vote would take such an elitist view of his electorate ....terms like "vast number"/"Many people" , (which suggests more than 50% + of the population) .... "need to be better informed" , do you really think the folks of Rishton are ignorant donkeys to be used for political gamesmanship .
Some people on either side of the political spectrum could think "better informed" could mean introduction of re-education camps (a Stalin/Harriet Harmon type of thing ... "we know whats best for you" ), or
maybe some sort of 'educational' means test could be introduced to wean out the non political savvy , ie was Lord Palmerston a Whig or a Tory ?
I think Mr Moss if you and your party want the votes of the folks of Rishton you need to show a bit more respect for the whole and not just the few, and stop using terms like "better informed" and "uphill struggle"

 

[Eric]

Not to sure how I feel about this post , think if I was a Rishton voter I could really take offense that a candidate/Party looking for my vote would take such an elitist view of his electorate ....terms like "vast number"/"Many people" , (which suggests more than 50% + of the population) .... "need to be better informed" , do you really think the folks of Rishton are ignorant donkeys to be used for political gamesmanship .
Some people on either side of the political spectrum could think "better informed" could mean introduction of re-education camps (a Stalin/Harriet Harmon type of thing ... "we know whats best for you" ), or
maybe some sort of 'educational' means test could be introduced to wean out the non political savvy , ie was Lord Palmerston a Whig or a Tory ?
I think Mr Moss if you and your party want the votes of the folks of Rishton you need to show a bit more respect for the whole and not just the few, and stop using terms like "better informed" and "uphill struggle"

I don't know about this .... I get your point, and that of Ken too. It's one of the tricky questions about democracy. I think that the politically savvy Rishton voter would tend to agree with Ken, though. And the question of the politically ignorant voter, or the ones that really don't give a flying you know what, is a thorny one. But it's one that I think should be left alone. The only qualification for voting should be citizenship (and age of course). I don't believe that is something to be tampered with. Maybe something that could be done within the education system.

 

[Margaret Pilkington]

steeljack, with the greatest respect, I think you are too far(geographically) removed from the situation to know what you are talking about.

Ken is not being disrespectful about the locals of Rishton. In respect of local government, and elections of local government officials, I think that many folk have such an apathetic view of politics, that they 'turn off' intellectually when such things are mentioned......and as such will be able to tell you very little about local politics.....because they see it as boring, uninteresting.

 

[Ken Moss]

Not to sure how I feel about this post , think if I was a Rishton voter I could really take offense that a candidate/Party looking for my vote would take such an elitist view of his electorate ....terms like "vast number"/"Many people" , (which suggests more than 50% + of the population) .... "need to be better informed" , do you really think the folks of Rishton are ignorant donkeys to be used for political gamesmanship .
Some people on either side of the political spectrum could think "better informed" could mean introduction of re-education camps (a Stalin/Harriet Harmon type of thing ... "we know whats best for you" ), or
maybe some sort of 'educational' means test could be introduced to wean out the non political savvy , ie was Lord Palmerston a Whig or a Tory ?
I think Mr Moss if you and your party want the votes of the folks of Rishton you need to show a bit more respect for the whole and not just the few, and stop using terms like "better informed" and "uphill struggle"

But it's the truth and I see it as part of my job to make sure the electorate are better informed about who we are and what we do. Since I got elected I have written several letters to every household, taken over running of the noticeboards and made as much of an effort as I can online to publicise what the Rishton councillors actually do.

I want everyone in Rishton to at least know who their councillors are because some of them still don't. When I am out in the village I always have some cards and a notepad with me so that if someone does present me with a problem it can be properly documented there and then. Whilst canvassing I have been able to report several things because some residents still don't know that a quick phonecall to any one of us could have dealt with it.

The fault lies with the councillors in most cases and in three years time when I go asking for people to vote for me again I would hope that most people at least recognise my name.

There really is no excuse for a politician who claims to represent the community and yet is never seen.

 

[Ken Moss]

I hear what you're saying, Ken - and I recognise that local and national politics are fundamentaly different in their essence. However, the promises made on the doorstep during election campaigns should be taken with a pinch of salt as they never, ever seem to bear fruition.

Well as I say to everyone on the door who asks what Clare Cleary will do for Rishton (and asked the same thing of me last year), no one who comes a-knocking can make you any cast iron promises about what they will definitely get done in your town and those who do aren't worth your vote. All we can offer you on the doorstep before an election is what we stand for, the problems that we are aware of and how we would go about dealing with those problems to help the community. You could vote for a candidate who promises something and find in May that they do not control the council so how can they honour that promise?

No one can guarantee you anything, beware of those who do.

 

[jaysay]

But it's the truth and I see it as part of my job to make sure the electorate are better informed about who we are and what we do. Since I got elected I have written several letters to every household, taken over running of the noticeboards and made as much of an effort as I can online to publicise what the Rishton councillors actually do.

I want everyone in Rishton to at least know who their councillors are because some of them still don't. When I am out in the village I always have some cards and a notepad with me so that if someone does present me with a problem it can be properly documented there and then. Whilst canvassing I have been able to report several things because some residents still don't know that a quick phonecall to any one of us could have dealt with it.

The fault lies with the councillors in most cases and in three years time when I go asking for people to vote for me again I would hope that most people at least recognise my name.

There really is no excuse for a politician who claims to represent the community and yet is never seen.

I have seen My Tory councillor around 7 or 8 times since last May on the estate where I live, haven't seen hide or hair of her Labour counterpart

 

[Ken Moss]

I have seen My Tory councillor around 7 or 8 times since last May on the estate where I live, haven't seen hide or hair of her Labour counterpart

The same will be true of me in parts of Rishton, some areas take up much more of my time than others and so lots of residents still don't really know who I am. However, my previous statement still applies and if you have a problem then take it up with your councillors, that's what we're here for.

 

[jaysay]

The same will be true of me in parts of Rishton, some areas take up much more of my time than others and so lots of residents still don't really know who I am. However, my previous statement still applies and if you have a problem then take it up with your councillors, that's what we're here for.

Oh I have no problems Ken, just pointing out and clarifying about your statement about not seeing councillors, if I do have problems I do know the correct way to go about things, think I grasped that during my involvement with local government

 

[JCB]

I have seen My Tory councillor around 7 or 8 times since last May on the estate where I live, haven't seen hide or hair of her Labour counterpart

I haven't seen any councillor of any party or any counterpart since last May .

 

[cashman]

aint seen any fer years.

 

[JCB]

But it's the truth and I see it as part of my job to make sure the electorate are better informed about who we are and what we do. Since I got elected I have written several letters to every household, taken over running of the noticeboards and made as much of an effort as I can online to publicise what the Rishton councillors actually do.

I want everyone in Rishton to at least know who their councillors are because some of them still don't. When I am out in the village I always have some cards and a notepad with me so that if someone does present me with a problem it can be properly documented there and then

Well done .

I only wish all the councillors and election candidates would do the same .

 

[JCB]

As opposed to the Billions of £s and many thousands of lives , (many of them British) wasted on an illegal war (Iraq) co-started/sponsored by the ex leader of the Party of which you are so proud to support .

I admit to voting for the Greg Pope at the time of the Iraq War . It took me a long time to realise what a hypocrite I was . If Margaret Thatcher had been Prime Minister I would have been opposing it from the start .

Such is the tribalism of party politics .

 

[jaysay]

I haven't seen any councillor of any party or any counterpart since last May .

Well to be honest JCB until this term (starting last May) I have very rarely seen a councillor from ANY party around the estate where I live and we have had councillors from both parties who actually live on the estate, but never saw them up and about. As I said earlier I have seen the Tory councillor knocking about on numerous occasions and not during the day, but early evenings and weekends

 

[g jones]

I agree with Ken. Local government deserves it's own debate rather than a national context.

 

[garinda]

Shan't be voting for it.

More unfair than the present system.

Would have voted in favour of proportional representation.

 

[Neil]

All these factors I think form the basis of local election results which is shame. Councillor Britcliffe has wasted tens of £millions and under normal circumstances would never have been allowed anywhere near the leaders office.

I am interested to know why we are living in not normal circumstances, please explain what you mean Graham.

 

[Neil]

Would have voted in favour of proportional representation.

I don't fully understand PR but I think it is better than this AV.

 

[jaysay]

I am interested to know why we are living in not normal circumstances, please explain what you mean Graham.

Well normal circumstances to Graham is a 35 seat labour majority council Neil

 

[keith higson]

Be very careful about Alternative Voting, we have here in Australia a similar system for the Federal Government, guess what some of the minority parties get in and stuff things up.

 

[JCB]

Be very careful about Alternative Voting, we have here in Australia a similar system for the Federal Government, guess what some of the minority parties get in and stuff things up.

Parties get in here under the first past the post system and stuff things up every time .