Sunday 7 March 2010
What are the Tories for?
This post can be read at http://cornishcassandra.wordpress.com/2010/03/07/what-are-the-tories-for/
Saturday 23 January 2010
Who's REALLY running the show?
This blog has moved to http://cornishcassandra.wordpress.com.
To read the latest post, "Who's REALLY running the show", please click here.
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To read the latest post, "Who's REALLY running the show", please click here.
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Sunday 10 January 2010
Thursday 31 December 2009
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?
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?
Tuesday 29 December 2009
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...
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.
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...
Monday 28 December 2009
Cornwall's Tweeting Politicians
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)
Saturday 19 December 2009
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.
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.
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