Well, my second letter and derived article from my first letter have been published in the Morley Observer & Advertiser. (Nothing online yet though). It was third letter after a pro- Challen/Balls letter from the local Labour exec and another pending Morleygate scandal about newspapers going missing in the Library. The strapline was Where's the third box?
As to the article, it takes up all of page eleven, allowing for the other three quarters of the page being adverts.
The strapline is:
Retiring councillor's parting shot
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Council branded 'morally weak'
It basically paraphrases my original position, shuffling the order round slightly to make it more article-like. I am somewhat disappointed that the Journalist, Erica Madelin, has basically just re-hashed my complaint without any obvious attempt to get the other side of the story. I imagine that we will have to wait another week for that, unless the Yorkshire Evening Post picks up on it.
Erica normally comes to our full Council meetings (and sits at the reporter's desk which is right and proper) but was unable to be there last Wednesday. However, Roland was there, a fair witness who is able to offer an impartial view. Hopefully, more from Roland in due course.
I have received some information from what can best be called unidentified sources. It seems that Morley Mirror has been distributed in my Ward (the one I live in) for some time now (the last one I saw was called Morley Forward). As they know where I live (not in the sinister sense, at least not yet!) then my house is likely to have been bypassed during leafleting. Sources suggest that Searchlight & the Unions may have helped out with leafleting (who obviously wouldn't know about me) and that the next Councillor for Morley South will be a David Langham, heavily promoted in the pre-election election leaflet meeting a Minister and visiting nearby bus stations.
I had worked out the last bit for myself since Sunday. I have seen the name David Langham as the Promoter shown on Labour leaflets and I thought that he worked in the Constituency office. However, googling suggests he is (or was) a Councillor as his name is on challen's website. (I can't say I'm that interested who/what he is at present).
Wednesday 14 March 2007
The Papers are in...
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2 comments:
I note that the majority of councillors are independent. Does this mean independent in name only? Looking at the council composition, I'm struggling to understand how Labour can impose things on you.
I don't recall using the word "impose" at any point.
labour have no particular power on the Town Council, having only 25% of the seats. They are represented across the various committees in suitable proportion.
Labour also only have a minority on Leeds City Council, but a big enough one that a rainbow coalition of Conservatives, Lib-Dems and Greens together form the majority.
The four Morley seats do not fit in the above. One is BNP and three are Independent, although two of the independents belong to a grouping called the Morley Borough Independents. (All three were, but one dropped out).
There has only been one Morley Borough Independent stand for election on the Town Council (in a by-election), as the last all out election in 2003 pre-dated the MBI grouping.
However, in May, I would expect six or so to stand under the MBI flag.
My big grumble is that many of the the Councillors make too many decisions out of the chamber (in private pre-meetings) and proceedings in public are often improperly followed due to institutional partisanism. (I can't think of a better word for it, but meetings are often Chaired sloppily due to lax procedures).
More cock-up than conspiracy though. They are more to be pitied than scolded...
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