tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post8714867488276000884..comments2023-10-16T08:37:22.742+00:00Comments on An incredulous eye on the isles: The Council budgetElectricCrofterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495260997875836669noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-48518713854719550652010-02-26T09:29:33.012+00:002010-02-26T09:29:33.012+00:002012. Oh God.2012. Oh God.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-4367845104261748572010-02-24T16:31:34.571+00:002010-02-24T16:31:34.571+00:00Sadly the next Council election is 2012. thats a l...Sadly the next Council election is 2012. thats a lot of sh**e for one blog to take.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-35896831772877500842010-02-23T22:49:06.786+00:002010-02-23T22:49:06.786+00:00It's well seen that this council has gone to t...It's well seen that this council has gone to the dogs. Can you imagine this happening under the leadership of the late Angus Graham or Roddy Murray. These leaders led with a rod of iron and were respected by the officers.<br /><br />I see the Mad Barrach under his short term at the COU.<br /><br />Oh if only we could find councillors of that calibre now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-56671473299552802992010-02-22T21:16:12.220+00:002010-02-22T21:16:12.220+00:00Filling in potholes, they're chasing their tai...Filling in potholes, they're chasing their tails, the roads are fukd.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-31681240420268670732010-02-22T13:39:42.407+00:002010-02-22T13:39:42.407+00:00to go back to the missing bulbs/ potholed road sto...to go back to the missing bulbs/ potholed road story. i note that all the roads are being filled (in town at least) - You'd never guess there was an election this year!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-66528973343570806952010-02-22T12:48:21.988+00:002010-02-22T12:48:21.988+00:00Oops. Link in my earlier post has been replaced wi...Oops. Link in my earlier post has been replaced with the latest edition of the paper. I you want to read what I was on about you have to click on the middle paper Bedfordshire on Sunday and then on the archive top left to see last weeks paper.<br /><br />For those who can't be bothered, and who can blame them, it was an article about a Council who spent £37,000 or repairing the potholes in the Council employees Carpark.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-34725756688776053982010-02-21T22:38:10.070+00:002010-02-21T22:38:10.070+00:00Now I have brought this to the attention of the Co...<a href="http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/Launch.aspx?referral=other&refresh=o03W12ZekE07&PBID=ff4d9265-8301-48f4-9713-b817725cb069" rel="nofollow">Now I have brought this</a> to the attention of the Comhairle that other Councils can afford it can I expect my parking place to be devoid of potholes at the White House?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-7388662949702041692010-02-21T11:44:46.726+00:002010-02-21T11:44:46.726+00:00Would it not have been worth looking at a more rad...Would it not have been worth looking at a more radical budget model for a slimmed down version of the council? They could move all the necessary public service functions to the town hall. This would justify the recent expenditure on the building. All other services could be franchised out to local businesses or establishing co-ops, creating a healthy form of competition. I'm sure there are many in the community who have the necessary skills for providing all these services. The recent worrying trend of monopoly politics seems to be a form is of protectionism. Not a good sign for the future!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-39073108918930863472010-02-20T21:48:19.389+00:002010-02-20T21:48:19.389+00:00Why do we need both Flossie and the Panda? Shurely...Why do we need both Flossie and the Panda? Shurely this would free up a front line wage or even two?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-90553893539241522702010-02-20T18:48:19.545+00:002010-02-20T18:48:19.545+00:00Re - 6.31 pm
One of the problems with the Western...Re - 6.31 pm<br /><br />One of the problems with the Western Isles is the lack of any proper, impartial media. On the one hand, we have the staff of the Stornoway Gazette with a rather silly pro-SNP agenda. (Remember a few years ago, when we had them displaying a fantasy headline - 'Blair Supports Sunday Ballots'.) On the other hand, we had the WHFP with its Labour agenda. <br /><br />And in the middle, truth suffered...<br /><br />It's a shame to see the Heb News falling into exactly the same trap. Clearly propaganda is being swallowed. Emotive words like 'applauded' are used in headlines, as if the Councillors welcomed these changes. I personally doubt that this was the case.<br /><br />And so it goes on. We even have one of your correspondents defending Mr MacNeil for refusing to talk to the Council. <br /><br />Sorry? He's paid handsomely to do exactly this. If the entire excercise is too distasteful for him, perhaps he should remove his snout from the trough. <br /><br />He too is part of the problem. He should stop going into a teenage huff every time there's a problem and talk to others instead, trying to find a solution to what has become an almighty mess. <br /><br />12.15 pm is right. It is time for him to strip off the Caped Crusader outfit and do his proper job.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-9736314000604196732010-02-20T17:34:20.398+00:002010-02-20T17:34:20.398+00:00Flossie (Convenor) is now but a figurehead. His ar...Flossie (Convenor) is now but a figurehead. His ar$E was always stretched from sitting on the fence- all things to all men.<br />The Oil Barron believes he is All Powerfull and when he says jump they all say how high.Power Corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.<br />I was going to call a meeeting on public apathy with a view to having them all booted out- but I can't be botheredAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-25655730818893744382010-02-20T14:34:52.597+00:002010-02-20T14:34:52.597+00:00Someone on your blog asked - did MacSween vote for...Someone on your blog asked - did MacSween vote for or against the Council Budget?<br /><br />The fact of the matter is - he bottled it and didn't even attend the meeting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-20244241974642002522010-02-20T14:13:40.327+00:002010-02-20T14:13:40.327+00:00People are complaining that the MP and MSP don;t s...People are complaining that the MP and MSP don;t spend enough time in the Council. Why on earth should they spend time with that shower?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-78354652510610263302010-02-20T14:11:58.773+00:002010-02-20T14:11:58.773+00:00Weren't serious efforts were made at the start...Weren't serious efforts were made at the start of the 2007 council to oust the convenor and the vice convenor (now leader) and prevent further damage to the western isles but the sheep that are councillors just voted them back in again to continue ruining our islands and bringing the western isles into disrepute. Meanwhile the chief executive drives his fat arse around in a new £50,000 VW.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-88878569491707490002010-02-20T09:14:55.836+00:002010-02-20T09:14:55.836+00:00I understand that the proposals to cut senior staf...I understand that the proposals to cut senior staff had been well worked-out by the SNP group - they made an embarassing comparison between the Council's fat cats with Orkney's senior managers and with other similar Scottish authorities.<br /><br />Knowing some of the folk behind the scenes, hell would freeze over before any of them put the fatty centre of the organisation up for the chop. So much time is spent on jockeying for position, putting down rivals, playing politics and shoring up power bases that it's amazing anything gets done.<br /><br />There's no way any of them can be got rid of early. They've pushed out everyone with a bit of flair or honesty, and the talent that's left never gets a look-in.<br /><br />They need to go - now. And abolition is the only way ahead.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-89585974531164173362010-02-19T18:31:47.893+00:002010-02-19T18:31:47.893+00:00Er pardon me.....what does the Heb News Headline &...Er pardon me.....what does the Heb News Headline "Council APPLAUDS stringent budget cuts" mean- Are they really clapping themselves for cutting care to the elderly, shutting schools and keeping the Fart Cats in JobsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-50017377350154386122010-02-19T18:08:47.784+00:002010-02-19T18:08:47.784+00:00I hear the cash strapped CNES bought the old Co-op...I hear the cash strapped CNES bought the old Co-op or old Lighting Electrical depending on how old you are (Cromwell Street)this week, I know it was valued at about £230,000 - £250,000 a few years ago but has since fallen into disrepair so will be interesting how much they got it for. Must have been a bargain! The question is who is going to pay what I would estimate £100,000 - £120,000 just to get it up to standard, never mind any alteration work required to turn it into what ever they are going to use it for.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-66211367575807725032010-02-19T17:48:20.642+00:002010-02-19T17:48:20.642+00:003:55
Thats Brilliant! very funny
Its alarming th...3:55<br /><br />Thats Brilliant! very funny<br /><br />Its alarming though that you are freakishly close to the truth.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-34695213238987180142010-02-19T16:58:17.239+00:002010-02-19T16:58:17.239+00:00COU get it again! Ok they are the guys seen by th...COU get it again! Ok they are the guys seen by the public out and about in their vans etc. What are the rest of the council employees doing at the same time? Surfing the net in council time, travelling to 'important' meetings, training sessions etc., staying in the best accommodation, eating in the best restaurants - the list could go on. All these things are costing money too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-48494080907676293252010-02-19T15:55:42.208+00:002010-02-19T15:55:42.208+00:00Q. How many COU operatives does it take to change ...Q. How many COU operatives does it take to change a light bulb?<br /><br />A. 4 to get the bacon rolls, 2 to supervise the work rota, 1 to drive the cherry picker and 1 junior trainee to take the light bulb out.<br /><br />Unfortunately, all the bulbs have been stolen, so you need another 2 people to arrange to buy them back off eBay.<br /><br />3 more to prepare the report to the Council, 4 + 2 lawyers to renegotiate the contract.<br /><br />And 1 accountant to accurately record all the expenditure incurred and compare it to budget, but not be allowed to do anything about the underlying problem.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-60466582875338905202010-02-19T15:51:45.789+00:002010-02-19T15:51:45.789+00:00Q. How many Councillors does it take to change a l...Q. How many Councillors does it take to change a light bulb?<br /><br />A. They're too busy applauding cutting services and saving the jobs of managers (sic) to bother with real life.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-87044895678163043532010-02-19T15:49:53.115+00:002010-02-19T15:49:53.115+00:00Did MacSween vote for or against the Council Budge...Did MacSween vote for or against the Council Budget which had <br /><br /><i>large hikes in elderly care charges, launching a controversial frozen meals service for housebound pensioners and slashing funding for voluntary groups</i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-22690971218213417272010-02-19T15:47:42.794+00:002010-02-19T15:47:42.794+00:00Any truth in the rumour that Angus wrote the alter...Any truth in the rumour that Angus wrote the alternative Budget for Cllr Manford????Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-41757051864305184572010-02-19T13:51:52.240+00:002010-02-19T13:51:52.240+00:00Does anyone know if the council can be dissolved i...Does anyone know if the council can be dissolved if they fail to find the answers. At what point does it become necessary to have a serious look at a major overhaul. Their strategic plan or vision is becoming very confusing when they are now suggesting spending some their precious resources on investigating the viability of running piers in the islands, rather than looking at the looming neglect of our frail elderly. The vulnerable and elderly in our society have paid their taxes and deserve better from us. Caring people should be running the council. As as start, a mandatory 10% cut in pay should be imposed on say salaries over £35-40k for example, to try and save these critical frontline services.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17278382.post-14835601478042003572010-02-19T13:24:59.752+00:002010-02-19T13:24:59.752+00:00The apparent total detachment by ABM & AA is u...The apparent total detachment by ABM & AA is unbeleivable when are they ever going to act on anything.<br />We can all critise every and all proffered solutions but surely they are the ones enpowered to drive the SG to alternatives.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com