Why do you bother, Sheryll?

A few days ago I posted a list of politicians in Cornwall who 'use' Twitter. Andrew Wallis, rising star of Cornwall Council's Independent fringe, correctly pointed out to me that that the word 'use' was probably not the right choice given that many on the list have 'tweeted' only once or twice since they opened their accounts. I can accept that some will set up a 'presence' on social networking sites only to find out that it's not really their thing, and that I shouldn't be overly judgmental about their non-appearance on Twitter. I suppose they're the people who dabbled but didn't inhale. Fair enough. The ones who trouble me are those who see Twitter simply as a means to broadcast their message rather than offer it up for discussion. These people are amongst us, but they don't care to engage.

I'm thinking in particular of the lovely Sheryll Murray, self-styled Fisherman's Friend and Conservative PPC for South East Cornwall. A while back there was a bit of to-ing and fro-ing on Twitter about Cornwall Council's plans for fortnightly rubbish collections (I had a mini-rant about it here). The Tory/Indie administration at County Hall quickly and ingloriously backed away from the proposals and Sheryll leapt into the fray by tweeting a typically strident put down to their accusers.

Being an enquiring sort (and suspecting the burying of an uncomfortable issue in the run-up to the General Election) I asked her if that meant that fortnightly collections had been completely ruled out. Radio silence followed. So I asked again. And again. Still nothing. Earlier today she posted something vacuous about a letter from David Cameron so I tried one more time:

And still she plays surprisingly hard to get.

I'm actually almost past caring about the bloody dustbins, to tell you the truth, but I must admit to being pretty irked about being ignored by someone who wants to be my Member of Parliament. Maybe she doesn't know how to read her replies column or maybe she doesn't bother because she simply isn't interested in another point of view. I don't know. So I'm going to tweet her a link to this post to see if I can catch her eye.

If you've made it this far Sheryll, below is the 'Comments' link. Feel free to use it. I'll publish whatever you write without amendment. Please use it to tell me why you bother with Twitter. And while you're at it, could you answer my question please?

Is the axe dangling over Mrs Bain?

I've posed the question here before about whether Sally Bain has proven to be the wisest choice for that most impossible of jobs, Cornwall Council's Cabinet Member for Children, and now those gossips at the Concrete Castle tell me that time may be running out for the fragrant Tory Councillor for Fowey.

Word reaches me that a group of Independent Councillors have drafted a letter to the Leader, Alec Robertson, calling for her replacement with someone who may actually have some idea of what they're supposed to be doing.

It's impossible to say how serious all of this is, or how many Indies are involved, but it wouldn't take too many of them breaking away from the ruling coalition to deprive the Conservatives of a working majority in the Council chamber.

The problem seems to stem from two disastrous performances at Full Council and Cabinet which have left many members from all sides questioning whether she has the right stuff to do the job. At Full Council earlier this month she fell into a neon-lit trap over the proposed closure of two North Cornwall primary schools, and a matter of days later faced much criticism for her over-reliance on Council officers when faced with one or two moderately taxing questions at Cabinet. There is a general impression that she has struggled to come to terms with the demands of the portfolio, particularly in the light of the recent Ofsted report into Children's Services in Cornwall.

This leaves Alec Robertson on the horns of a sticky dilemma or two. If he sacks Mrs Bain he'll keep the natives quiet and hold the coalition together for now, but he'll hand the Lib Dem opposition a golden opportunity to attack him over his judgement for appointing her in the first place, not to mention putting into question his loyalty to a long-term ally. However, if he stands by her he risks the administration being subjected to further ridicule in the run-up to the General Election and the possibility that an unknown number of the Tories' Independent coalition partners could start to flake away.

The best solution would probably be to split the portfolio in two, appointing someone to cover Education and another to deal with Children's Services. The trouble is, in a bid to spread the largesse as widely as possible when the administration formed back in June, Cllr Robertson appointed the full compliment of Cabinet Members (ten) allowed under the Council's constitution. Where they go from here is anyone's guess, but my money would be on the powers that be stumbling on and hoping the whole mess goes away. You heard it here first...

Cornwall's Tweeting Politicians

I've been meaning to put together a list of all those in Cornwall seeking or holding public office who use Twitter, and here is a start. For all I know it may not be comprehensive and for that reason I'd be grateful to hear of any names I've excluded. I'd also like to put a Town and Parish Council list together but I just don't have enough information at the moment - please email me or add via the Comments section if you know of any tweeting councillors. (Click on the name to link to the individual Twitter page.)

MPs and PPCs:
Sian Flynn (Con, North Cornwall)
Andrew George (Lib Dem, St Ives)
Steve Gilbert (Lib Dem, St Austell & Newquay)
Karen Gillard (Lib Dem, South East Cornwall)
Julia Goldsworthy (Lib Dem, Camborne, Redruth & Hayle)
Lee Jameson (Lab, St Austell & Newquay)
Loveday Jenkin (MK, Camborne, Redruth & Hayle)
Philippa Latimer (Lab, St Ives)
Charlotte MacKenzie (Lab, Truro & Falmouth)
Sheryll Murray (Con, South East Cornwall)
Sarah Newton (Con, Truro & Falmouth)
Simon Reed (MK, St Ives)
Loic Rich (MK, Truro & Falmouth)
Caroline Righton (Con, St Austell & Newquay)
Jude Robinson (Lab, Camborne, Redruth & Hayle)
Bill Stevens (Lab, South East Cornwall)
Terrye Teverson (Lib Dem, Truro & Falmouth)
Derek Thomas (Con, St Ives)

Cornwall Councillors
Nathan Bale (Lib Dem, Bude North & Stratton)
Steve Double (Con, St Austell Poltair)
Alex Folkes (Lib Dem, Launceston Central)
Mario Fonk (Lib Dem, Gulval & Heamoor)
Edwina Hannaford (Lib Dem, Looe West & Lansallos)
Rob Nolan (Lib Dem, Truro Boscawen)
Bryan Preston (Lib Dem, Saltash Burraton)
Chris Ridgers (Con, Mabe)
Jeremy Rowe (Lib Dem, St Issey)
Robin Teverson (Lib Dem, St Mewan)
Armand Toms (Con, Looe East)
Andrew Wallis (Ind, Porthleven & Helston South)
Tamsin Williams (Lib Dem, Penzance Central)

When in doubt... blame the officers.

There's been a bit of a fuss this week over Cornwall Council's plans to introduce fortnightly rubbish collections. I have to tell you that I think it's pretty bold of Julian German's Waste Directorate (or whatever the hell these Council departments call themselves these days) to be thinking along these lines. As we know, Cornwall has one or two issues with the whole topic of waste at the moment and there's nothing wrong with looking at all methods of cutting down the amount we send to landfill. On the other hand, fortnightly collections have a number of associated problems and they're not exactly popular with the locals.

Even so, a line appeared in the Council's Draft Budget Plan proposing implementation of just such a plan in two years' time (you can find the whole, dull document on Cornwall Council's website - skip to page 54 of the PDF under 'Low Risk Savings'). Apparently when this was raised at the Council's Cabinet meeting this week the word from Alec Robertson and Julian German was that this was merely a draft budget but that all things had to be considered.

Yesterday the emphasis had shifted a little. County Hall put out a press release claiming that "this was not being currently considered by the Council and was merely an option which had been put forward by officers". Sheryll Murray, the Conservative PPC for South East Cornwall trumpeted this statement on Twitter as proof that scaremongering was afoot (I'm still waiting for a reply or two from her as to whether this definitely means it's been ruled out entirely). It certainly appears the Council is putting forward a defence of plausible deniability this side of the General Election, hence the officers taking the rap.

I'm sorry, but this actually makes me angry and I don't believe a word of their explanation. Even if the original idea had come from the Waste 'boffins' at County Hall, nothing would have appeared in that document without the agreement of the Cabinet before the meeting. It may well have been a bit of 'blue sky thinking' or it may have been a serious plan - either way the Leader and the Cabinet Member would have agreed to its inclusion.

Cabinet members are responsible for the papers they present to Cabinet meetings. End of story. If it's good news the politicians take the credit; if it's bad news they should take the blame (the good ones do). It demonstrates a lack of courage and a lack of leadership when a Council administration puts out a defensive press release claiming that it is led by its officers on the difficult issues.

As I said, I'm actually quite angry about this. It's time to shape up and take responsibility.

Are Cornwall's Tory Councillors squabbling over allowances?

That very leaky rumour mill at County Hall (where would we be without it?) is awash with tales of splits and threatened resignations within the Conservative group over that subject closest to the hearts of our elected representatives - their allowances.

Apparently there is a 'difference of opinion' between the basic-salaried backbenchers and their handsomely compensated leadership over how to react to the upcoming recommendations of Cornwall Council's Independent Remuneration Panel. You may recall that, early on in the life of the Council, the ruling coalition of Conservatives and Independents voted down a motion by the opposition Lib Dems which called for a freeze in councillors' allowances on the grounds that everyone should wait and see what the Panel's verdict would be.

Now it seems, with a General Election looming, the Council's Leader, Alec Robertson, is no longer keen on waiting for the Panel and wants his councillors to take a hit in the pocket for the greater good of the party. The backbenchers, on the other hand, feel they should be paid a little more than £12,000 a year for what is, in all fairness, a time-consuming and generally thankless job.

Word seeps out that Cllr Robertson has played the ultimate trump card (so early on?) and threatened to resign if the drones don't fall into line.

Cassandra's guess is that Smart Alec will win the day, especially with a potentially close-fought election looming, but will he have done lasting damage to his relationship with his voting fodder? You can't pull the resignation trick too many times, that's for sure. Will the boys and girls in blue expect to be paid back in full after the election? And what will their Independent partners make of it all? Can't wait!

Has Caroline Righton fallen in with the wrong crowd?

It's said that things have been a bit glum for the Tory faithful in St Austell following the disastrous St Austell Bay by-election a fortnight ago, but it looks as though Conservative Central Office have sent in the clowns in an attempt to revive 'Life Auditor' (and campaign gaffe-magnet) Caroline Righton's bid to be MP for St Austell and Newquay after next year's General Election. The reinforcements have come in the form of an eyebrow-raising trio of chaperones sent to 'help' on the campaign trail.

Firstly we have the 'Shadow Minister for Cornwall' Mark Prisk (MP for Hertford and Stortford, a mere 260 miles from the Duchy) who showed up in the Clay Country this week to join Ms Righton for a photo-op at the proposed eco-town site and a snoop around St Austell. You may remember that the wild-eyed Mr Prisk found himself in a spot of bother earlier in the year for claiming expenses for his campaigning trips to Cornwall, even though there's no Cornish Ministry for him to Shadow. (I've no doubt at all that it was an honest mistake and that he was working within the rules.)

Next to be wheeled out was David "Two Brains" Willetts, Shadow Education spokesman. Aside from his Mandelsonian ability to put embarrassing resignations behind him, Mr Willetts is famed for his relative intelligence within the Shadow Cabinet. But it seems he's not quite bright enough to change his own light bulbs, preferring instead to bill that onerous task to the taxpayer. Mr Willetts was happily on hand this week to shepherd Ms Righton through a visit to Newquay Treviglas School.

The hat-trick is due to be completed later this week when fresh-faced Tory Housing spokesman Grant Shapps, friend of Bob 'The Agent' Davidson, rolls up in Newquay to hold Caroline's hand through a gawp at "eyesore" hotels.

So what do these three wise men have in common? None of them, despite a supposed interest in the affairs of Cornwall, were prepared to vote in the House of Commons for a Cornish tickbox for the 2011 Census forms. The box does no harm, and it won't cost anything, but it seems Caroline Righton's little helpers don't think it's important for Cornish people to be able to call themselves Cornish (although they do think it important that we should send more of their mindset to Westminster).

We can only hope that these fine gentlemen become more culturally enriched during their campaigning stops in Cornwall. And that they aren't pretending it's Shadow Cabinet business for the purposes of their claim forms.

Is Sally Bain up to the job?

By all accounts the fragrant Sally Bain, Cornwall Council's Cabinet Member for Children, put in a disastrous performance at this morning's meeting of the Council in Truro. It had been revealed by Cllr Graham Walker (Lib Dem, St Austell Bethel) that the Council is seriously considering the closure of 80 of Cornwall's 237 primary schools, and it seems that Mrs Bain struggled to regain her composure from that moment on.

Asked to comment on a recent referendum held over school closures in the North Cornwall villages of St Mabyn and St Tudy she apparently declined, except to say that she wasn't sure that the campaigners in those villages were acting with the best interests of their children in mind (I imagine they'll be surprised to hear that). She was also attacked for the near total lack of policies and projects in the 'Forward Plan', the bland document the Council produces in an attempt to look proactive.

Time and again Mrs Bain had to defer to her director, Richard Hubbard, to drag her out of the mire. Interestingly Mr Hubbard has been in post for about a month as opposed to Mrs Bain who has been picking up the salary since June.

I'm told that Conservative Members were looking fairly glum throughout the mauling, and Alec Robertson must be wondering if it's too soon to have a re-shuffle. Let's hope he doesn't. As I've written before, Cornwall Council could do with a splash of colour.