tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post8067135444783127149..comments2023-11-18T08:59:54.598+00:00Comments on Carmarthenshire Planning Problems and more: The independent paradox - Updated with response from Electoral Commissioncaebrwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17233902574832152764noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-19691726746088793592014-10-29T15:04:22.072+00:002014-10-29T15:04:22.072+00:00Yes I agree with Redhead re this body being (yet a...Yes I agree with Redhead re this body being (yet another) toothless tiger. When Carmarthenshire Ratepayers' Association complained about CCC giving £5,000 to each serving councillor to spend on their communities just a few months ahead of the election in 2008 they didn't want to know.<br />I think this is another regulatory organisation that in reality exists for its employees, and does just enough, or appears to do enough, to justify its existence.Tessanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-885007090286018672014-10-29T12:44:17.515+00:002014-10-29T12:44:17.515+00:00This latest post from Cllr Caiach explains why she...This latest post from Cllr Caiach explains why she formed 'People First';<br /><br /><a href="http://www.peoplefirstwales.org.uk/2014/10/how-disastrously-bad-council-spawned.html" rel="nofollow">How a disastrously bad council spawned a very good idea</a>caebrwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17233902574832152764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-65499875555494526292014-10-29T07:06:13.279+00:002014-10-29T07:06:13.279+00:00Thanks for the comments.
Redhead, I'll take yo...Thanks for the comments.<br />Redhead, I'll take your advice.caebrwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17233902574832152764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-78450478467837370672014-10-28T09:01:01.116+00:002014-10-28T09:01:01.116+00:00Unfortunately, the Electoral Commission is a tooth...Unfortunately, the Electoral Commission is a toothless tiger. <br /><br />Far better is the House of Commons Select Committee on Voter Engagement. <br /><br />primarily concerned with the registration of those who have slipped off voter registers they also concern themselves with the reasons why people do not register, and this is one of them - they have no confidence in those that put themselves forward.<br /><br />Its Chairman, MP Graham Allen and one of its more vociferous members, MP Chris Ruane would be very interested in seeing this letter so I would urge Jacquie to send it to them. It has given the Electoral Commission several difficult grillings on similar matters.<br /><br />Anyone can send their views here:<br /><br />http://www.parliament.uk/voter-engagement-in-the-ukRedheadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-89364988128927757552014-10-28T05:55:41.334+00:002014-10-28T05:55:41.334+00:00Anonymous actually illustrates a good point. If yo...Anonymous actually illustrates a good point. If you do not register as a political party you can only officially stand under one of 2 labels on the ballot paper, "independent" or "No description".<br />AS the post describes, the term "independent" is quite debased locally and Arthur Davies and myself set up People First so that true independents could actually register under an umbrella group which actually does not act like a party but demands the strict independence of Bell's Priciples. These of course include not joining or forming coalitions with political parties and taking each issue on its merits. We have only the 3 administrative members that the Electoral commission require and will allow any person espousing Bell's principles to use our label.<br />If political representation is just a competitive team game, whatever the teams are called, then the top down dictatorship of policy will continue and the actual quality of representation of the mass of the people will remain poor. Somewhere down the line in representative democracy the original idea of representing the voters got seriously mangled by political ambition, the ability to buy influence and selective deafness to the needs of the electorate. I hope to provide the best, not the least worst option but breaking the system is hard work!Sian Caiachnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-43907106699764166002014-10-27T21:03:11.403+00:002014-10-27T21:03:11.403+00:00This is a very important point - a good many of th...This is a very important point - a good many of the Independents are what is known in Ireland as 'gombeen men' (or women). <br /><br />Wherever local government in Wales has scraped the barrel - Ynys Mon, Pembrokeshire or Carmarthenshire - you will find Independents with their hands on the wheel.<br /><br />Whether it would be possible to force them to play by the same rules as the other parties is debatable, but any serious reform of local democracy designed to make councillors more professional and more representative would deal our gombeens a fatal blow.<br /><br />In the case of Carmarthenshire, Old Father Time will also play a part. How many of Meryl's OAP brigade will stand for another 4 or 5 year stint in 2017 will be interesting.Cneifiwrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08767078276794410524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-22889516455037645162014-10-27T19:38:27.958+00:002014-10-27T19:38:27.958+00:00Anon 19:22
Did you actually read the post? I'm...Anon 19:22<br />Did you actually read the post? I'm not sure what point you are trying to make.caebrwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17233902574832152764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-29370386952169294812014-10-27T19:22:53.742+00:002014-10-27T19:22:53.742+00:00Cilycwm 2012 I believe a certain Mrs Thompson st...Cilycwm 2012 I believe a certain Mrs Thompson stood as an Independent !!!<br />Independent Thomas Theophilus* 307 <br />Independent Jacqui Thomapson 264 <br />Conservative Matthew Graham Paul 136<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-24465003344425770632014-10-27T18:15:42.485+00:002014-10-27T18:15:42.485+00:00I hadn't considered the issues raised in this ...I hadn't considered the issues raised in this letter until now. A very well constructed set of arguments for the need to change what is potentially a corrupting influence on democracy and which I hope the Electoral Commission give proper consideration to.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01073108614600884664noreply@blogger.com