Over at the West CC meeting in the Community Centre tonight Brian Stewart revealed that both West and River CCs were up for hosting a meeting that would allow the public to hear what the eight candidates in the forthcoming election for four seats on Highland Council have to offer. Suburban Community Council were against however so it would have been a bit strange for just the two councils to arrange such an event so the idea is in abeyance for now. It was suggested however, that the Nairnshire Telegraph should organise such a meeting for the electorate to both hear and quiz their prospective councillors. Perhaps they or some other neutral individual or organisation will step forward and arrange a venue and a date for a hustings event.
There have been no shortage of local issues affecting the community during the life time of the present Council regime and many of those issues either have a legacy or will continue well into the lifetime of the next administration so it would be an excellent idea to have the candidates in one place at a given time and date for those who haven't been fortunate enough to have received them all on the doorstep yet.
There have been no shortage of local issues affecting the community during the life time of the present Council regime and many of those issues either have a legacy or will continue well into the lifetime of the next administration so it would be an excellent idea to have the candidates in one place at a given time and date for those who haven't been fortunate enough to have received them all on the doorstep yet.
6 comments:
I'm at home most of the time and so far I've had one candidate visit plus hand me a leaflet. Looks like she'll get my vote by default at this rate, not seen any other candidates not their election leaflets. Not as though all of them are busy on-line
Voters need more than just the information that you're standing for office candidates
Facebook, tweet or e-mail the ones online that you can find and ask for a private audience. Get the tea and cakes ready and ask them all round at the same time. Put an add in the Nairnshire and we'll all come round too?
Croy CC arranged Hustings the last time around and I found it really useful. They plan to do the same this time as far as I am aware. Councillors weild tremendous power and surely we all need to make sure of the 'credentials' of the candidates - Can they communicate with people? Do they have a broad base of knowledge and transferable skills that will allow them to engage with all the issues from Education to Transport and Social Services. I do not want the person I vote for to be a 'one trick pony' - only interested in one issues(or a select set of issues. I also don't want a person who is unwilling to get stuck into the complicated stuff because it is too hard or too boring.
Anonymous (above) gets it absolutely right:
"Councillors wield tremendous power and surely we all need to make sure of the 'credentials' of the candidates - Can they communicate with people? Do they have a broad base of knowledge and transferable skills that will allow them to engage with all the issues from Education to Transport and Social Services. I do not want the person I vote for to be a 'one trick pony' - only interested in one issues(or a select set of issues). I also don't want a person who is unwilling to get stuck into the complicated stuff because it is too hard or too boring."
Being a councillor is an important and demanding task. We need representatives who are open-minded and energetic, and who put Nairn's interests ahead of party affiliation, self-interested ambition or personal hobby-horses.
Two election leaflets through my door today but no one chapped to talk with me
Candidates seem keen in their leaflets to let us know what great things they have done, personally I would have preferred them to have taken more space letting us know what they are going to do for Nairn if they are elected
Sorry gents but I wasn't impressed
Liz and I both asked - formally and informally - that the Community Councils consider holding a public hustings. Clearly, we are disappointed. However, we are aiming to knock on every door that we can on the run-up to the 3rd of May.
Colin J Macaulay
Post a Comment