Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Ive had an email from our very own Sue Nicholas telling me she is in purdah..I thought ehyup!
Does this mean Sue is off holidaying in India riding around on very large elephants and shooting very large tigers..ermmm no no no
Does it mean she is off in northern Pakistan giving the ever so beardey Taliban a good biffing!!! no no no doesnt mean that either.
No seriously, after an election is called the councillors have to stay quiet and zip it. Sue was keen to answer some of the threads but cant, so she let me know and asked me to let everyone know its a forced zipping, otherwise she would be on here.
Come back soon Sue
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
Sue has got it wrong
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
Keith
Please explain your posting above.I have already posted a definition of purdah on another thread but why has Sue got what wrong?
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
This is utterly absurd. The whole 'influence' thing, along with the current way 'interests' are interpreted is simply crazy these days.
That said if MPs had standards, even half as tough of those expected of our Councillors, then Parliament would be far better place.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
Barryw in part we are at 1 on this issue!!!!!!!!
If theres owt in it it would be true cllrs/candidates should not post 4 weeks before an election.
As Barryw says with the way MP's of ALL parties are acting at the mo, the present cutting back on democracy of local councillors is a joke!!
I think instead of allowing officers or whoever it is to dictate, the whole issue should be questioned and challenged.
I would prefer to know anyone that is representing me or trying to represent me is one that puts him/her self about and not cower down and accept what is put in front of them.
I challenge those (including our sue) to do more to challenge this decision Sue is not usually frightened to speaK out, heres an opportunity to stop people silencing her.
Before i left the council i challenged the many things being put in place to stop cllrs representing there coonstituents.
This is just one more example, wots more worrying is cllrs are sitting back and accepting it!!
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
Keith
Thanks
Point taken.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
No on has told me to keep my mouth shut.
Roger
Terry Nunn- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,295
Yes, but you're quite a big chap Roger!
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Guest 662- Registered: 18 Mar 2008
- Posts: 325
That explains her silence re. River Recreation Ground then!
Nice excuse if you ask me!! but then I dont do or pretend to know anything about politics.
Sheli
Guest 665- Registered: 24 Mar 2008
- Posts: 345
I always thought purdah was for council officers and other public sector employed staff to abide by, as opposed to councillors.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
that is my understanding claire.
another point, it is more than 4 weeks to the next elections.
yet another point, the elections are for the county council and the european gravy/sorry parliament.
why would this affect parish/town or district councillors?
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Exactly Howard.
Sue is not standing as a County Councillor, nor am I for that matter.
Apparantly some (?) Councillors have been told that they must not publicly say anything that can be construed as political once an election has been announced - and it has been announced now.
Daft - absolutely daft, especially for those not standing.
Roger
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Im not sure how this purdah thing works either, but I remember Nigel Collor telling me about it some years ago ie..that he wouldnt be able to post for the next six weeks etc etc etc. Those were the days Nigel used to post a lot so it was forced on him too...Im not sure who does the forcing. Paul Watkins the enforcer !!lol
Of course low profile Nigel is in near permanent purdah these days as he rarely posts
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Its the Council Officers PaulB - they will have interpreted the regulations and if Councillors go against the officers interpretation and it backfires they are out on their own and personally liable. I agree they should be challenged.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
Lets be clear, it can and should be challenged, as has been saifd, NIGEL and SUE are not even involved in the election.
The officers from time to time will put forward what the feel is right for the council, and just before i left there were a number of instances where they attempted to silence cllrs, Its advice you can take or challenge, it looks like our 2 friends have bottled it.
A good example of this shutting down cllrs was licensing (which roger will be aware of) where it go to the point where nearly no one could speak because of the restrictions in place.
Who's best placed to represent the people in the ward than the locally elected cllr that lives there? but no you were supposed to declare an interest.
But it was advice, and i continued to represent those that elected me to do so.
This realy is such an important issue as we have elections now every 2 years which means councillors close down.
I fully understand if comments are made purely for political gain, but not to represent your constituents for 4 weeks? who does represent them when you cant?
This debate will go on
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i thought that nigel was standing in the county council election.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
He is
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
should be interesting this time, now that our old posting friend hooky is standing for the lib dems.
quite a charismatic speaker, maybe there will be some public meetings.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
HOWARD
Yep Hook confident of winnimng in Deal
Interesting seat to watch Dover rural(fink its caLled that)
Eillen Rowbotham (labour) holds seat at mo
Mannion (tory)
????? (lib dem)
Hansell reg (indy)
may be others, interesting to see what effect all the candidates have on overall result.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
kieth,do you mean minnion for the tory candidate.