Having just read through the results of the election on the council's website it's disappointing to see how predictably blind much of the voting seems to have been. Given the choice of a group of politicians incessantly tearing chunks out of each other instead of working for the city, it's not really surprising people are returning to voting for someone because they've always voted for them instead of because they're actually improving the city.

I'm disappointed but not entirely surprised the Lib Dems lost so many seats - their retorts in the local press to Labour's pathetic comments are regularly as infantile. Of more disappointment is the fact that there is now no longer an NOC situation and that there are even fewer 'wildcards' available who could have taken advantage of a No Overall Control council now. Having said that, if the Tories chocolate-teapot-like track record for taking advantage of their vote-swinging status last time round is anything to go on, then it's not surprising there are so few parties with only one or two seats. They had an opportunity to genuinely demonstrate themselves and have squandered it, bringing their seats down to one and in the process disillusioning everybody of the value of minor parties in the city. Everybody apart from, it would seem, BNP voters - which we can probably blame our sensationalist press for.

Anybody else have views yet?

The turn out for me is very dissapointing, less than 20% in some areas.

People complain about things, parties doing this, doing that, councils spending this on that etc and then don't vote.

I cannot believe that the people of Sheffield have allowed the incompetent Labour Party to romp back to power. Sorry to say it but now they deserve all that they have thrown at them. Sheffield is a badly run, dirty city. Oh yes pockets in the city centre are wonderful but take a stroll out into the suburbs and all you see is decay and neglect. I've always said that politicians treat people as fools and now I think that they are probably right :evil:

Some places, such as Bolton, ran a postal only vote, which resulted in turnout of 40%.

It sickens me as well when people whinge but don't bother to vote. I registered for postal voting a few months ago. It was all entirely free, the paperwork came to my house with freepost envelopes. It just took five minutes of my time, rather than the hassle of going to a polling station.

Is that it then..people in Sheffield really are stupid???

Moon Maiden

surely people not voting is their democratic right and a sad indictment of the state of local government in this country.

My comments were more directed at the morons who voted a labour bloody council back.

If you choose not to vote - fair enough. I was in two minds myself considering I was and always have been a labour supporter.

This resulst is obviously a very accurate display of the state of education in Sheffield.

Moon Maiden

Originally posted by "Moon Maiden"

This resulst is obviously a very accurate display of the state of education in Sheffield.

Moon Maiden

Was that meant to be ironic?

Thr problem in Sheffield is the 'traditional voters', these people will vote for Labour or Conservative etc simply because they have done so all their lives, at a guess I would say the majority of voters not just in this city but across the UK are generally 'older' people who are 'traditional voters'
The lack of interest in voting and the rise of the BNP actually shows how the public mistrusts the traditional parties and politicians in general.

or that they are fed up with being abused on the street and treat like a second class citizen by the over pc organisations such as the council, etc.

before anyone suggests it, I'm not racist but I have experienced the effects of being the wrong colour in certain areas' of the city late at night.

Sad fact but there are many narrow minded people of of all creeds.

Originally posted by "Internetowl"

or that they are fed up with being abused on the street and treat like a second class citizen by the over pc organisations such as the council, etc.

Good point!

I agree, the biggest problem I have with the Labour party and the Sheffield council is the Leftie, politically correct, 'do gooders' harbouring inside the party that traditionally represented the working class people of this country !

Originally posted by "Michael_W"

I agree, the biggest problem I have with the Labour party and the Sheffield council is the Leftie, politically correct, 'do gooders' harbouring inside the party that traditionally represented the working class people of this country !

Which do gooders do you mean? I assume you have specific examples of 'do goodery' to which you object?

Politcal correctness is an outdated perjorative phrase coined by the right wing press to discredit anybody seen as being caring, viz. not upsetting people by actions or words. I'm surprised that in the 21st century people still use it.

Is that right maxt, well I stand to be corrected !!!!
You are obviously more 'with it' than me - I'll stand aside so you can post your 21st century wisdom !

At last, a postive result from this forum.

What a result maxt, I don't know how you do it, you should stand for election yourself, you certainly deliver on policy - nothing said - nothing done !

:lol:

Let's keep this friendly, michael_w.

I'm still waiting for examples of do goodery on the council. If anyone has any complaints about their councillors, or council officers, then name names and we can perhaps get them to post responses on the forum.

What got me about the election is that only the Socialist Alliance actually asked me for my vote. I suppose by standing you are implicitly asking the electorate for their vote, but I only recieved a leaflet from the Socialist Alliance candidate and so when it came to voting I really only had one choice. I didn't have a clue what any of the other candidates stood for, other than themselves of course.

I'm still waiting for examples of do goodery on the council. If anyone has any complaints about their councillors, or council officers, then name names and we can perhaps get them to post responses on the forum.

Ooooooo my favourite.

Do gooder forest management. Lets get loads of funding from government and charitable organisations to manage forests and areas of natural beauty.

What do they do. They remove native trees because "they get in the way of saplings" which happen to be foreign quick growing rubbish, Put benches and signposts which do not blend in with the environment.

Pet hate at the moment. Planting hybrid plants in a natural area. Rivelin conservation society in their wisdom have seen fit to plant a bunch of daffodils? Quite nice you may think - except if I want to see daffodils any roundabout in South Yorkshire has a mass of them.

Also the daffodils they have planted are not the wild variety and will domonate and kill off any that may decide to have a go.

Other PC stupidity? I am not sure if this specifically applies to Sheffield council - but where are the British traditions in our schools??? Things like dancing round the maypole are left to community projects rather than an event for the kids to enjoy because it may upset some ethnic minority or even worse a Christian.
Sheffield has wide and diverse communities and it is great that they wish to educate the kids to cut out future racism - but it will backfire if the kids don't learn about Traditions and customs of Britain. They were there when I was a kid.

I am sure I can come up with more.

Moon Maiden

maxt wrote:
Let's keep this friendly, michael_w.

I'm still waiting for examples of do goodery on the council. If anyone has any complaints about their councillors, or council officers, then name names and we can perhaps get them to post responses on the forum.

No problem here maxt, but why ask me to give examples of 'do goodery', do you think I am wrong ?, I don't !
A lot of time and money is spent on political 'do goodery' in this country at the expense of the Tax paying public, now I'm not saying some of it is not justified but to repeat something I mentioned on this forum in another topic - given the choice of where I would spend my taxes, between say - Old Age Pensions and Asylum Seekers, I know where I would prefer mine to go and many other 'working class' people would agree.
Without getting into a tedious argumentative post about this and other similar 'do goodery' issues, much of which has been discussed on this forum before, I suggest you put your opinions to counter debate as I sense from your posts that you disagree with my statement about my dissatisfaction with the Labour Party.

No Michael_t, I don't disagree with your statement about dissatisfaction with the Labour Party. I agree with you and I keep on at my MP in an effort to do something about it. Yes, pensioners should get more of my taxes than go towards asylum seekers. In my opinion, asylum seekers should be processed, housed and in society earning money and paying taxes to take the strain off my meagre contributions.

Without efforts from people who make their opinions known through the media, demonstrations, strikes, letters to their representatives and, dare I say it through the ballot box, we would still be living in a society run by the ruling classes with we peasants living in tied houses on feudal estates.

My point in this thread, and others, was that too many people complain in generalities thereby avoiding debate. It has cheered me no end to see you and Moon Maiden coming up with genuine concerns. Now, if I can persuade any councillors and MPs to visit this forum they can respond directly.

PS re the daffodils, you can't eat daffodils and we're not Welsh so what was the point??

Keep smiling.

:D :D :D

Without efforts from people who make their opinions known through the media, demonstrations, strikes, letters to their representatives and, dare I say it through the ballot box,

and you see herein lies a HUGE problem. When do you decide to stick your neck out? When do you decide to speak out in public and say this is wrong and I want something done about it.

This forum is a safe medium for many. They can voice their opiniosn no matter how popular or unpopular without fear of having their windows done in by those who may disagree.

There are a chosen few who are able in many way to do this. To stand up and be counted a little higher above the rest. Then there are those with families who fear for what they may be put through too.

Perhaps I am associating this very much with my views of witchcraft and the neo-pagan movements, but I think on other political issues the same could be applied. Look at the BNP councillor who was murdered.

Daffodils.......I think you can eat them actually.

Moon Maiden

Originally posted by "maxt"

No Michael_t, I don't disagree with your statement about dissatisfaction with the Labour Party. I agree with you and I keep on at my MP in an effort to do something about it. Yes, pensioners should get more of my taxes than go towards asylum seekers. In my opinion, asylum seekers should be processed, housed and in society earning money and paying taxes to take the strain off my meagre contributions.

Without efforts from people who make their opinions known through the media, demonstrations, strikes, letters to their representatives and, dare I say it through the ballot box, we would still be living in a society run by the ruling classes with we peasants living in tied houses on feudal estates.

My point in this thread, and others, was that too many people complain in generalities thereby avoiding debate. It has cheered me no end to see you and Moon Maiden coming up with genuine concerns. Now, if I can persuade any councillors and MPs to visit this forum they can respond directly.

PS re the daffodils, you can't eat daffodils and we're not Welsh so what was the point??

Keep smiling.

:D :D :D

What would you do if the Asylum seekers were housed instead of you and earning money by doing a job that you could do but instead you was the one unemployed?

It seems to me that political dogma and common sense are mutually exclusive. Maybe we should keep politics out of local issues and vote for people according to their own merits and proposals. Now there's a novel idea, a local representative with a mind of her/his own.

Originally posted by "Jess"

It seems to me that political dogma and common sense are mutually exclusive. Maybe we should keep politics out of local issues and vote for people according to their own merits and proposals. Now there's a novel idea, a local representative with a mind of her/his own.

Mansfield's present situation is closest to that, I guess - an independent majority. Though quite how that works in practice I'm not sure - the parties with seats in Mansfield could still hijack a vote by deliberately voting one way (as is always the case here irrespective I'm sure of what each councillor believes). Shame we're so far away from having an independent majority in Sheffield - the only 'independent' is our Tory councillor!

Originally posted by "Michael_W"

I agree, the biggest problem I have with the Labour party and the Sheffield council is the Leftie, politically correct, 'do gooders' harbouring inside the party that traditionally represented the working class people of this country !

I am inclined to agree.

I am totoally resentful of Labours standing on Asylum, Europe, Minimum Wage and more.

Econmoic Advice from Gordon (2+2 = whatever I damn well choose) Brown

Leadership Advice on how to aggrivate the populous more from Tony (No, really George is a well balanced man) Blair

Reading Tips from David Blunkett

A Huge amount of money or promise of free trips (did someone mention Cherie Blair?)