May 6th 2021 Elections

[sadbrewer 20]

On 19/04/2021 at 09:26, Ms Macbeth said:

I've worked in local authorities under committees and cabinet set ups, and the largest party ultimately has the say regardless.  Committees works best, IMO, where there is no one party with a large majority. 

 

 I'm surprised no-one has mentioned the recent change in leadership. (Apologies if I missed anything)  We have had the 'Strong Leader' model, but without a strong leader!

 

I have no affiliation to any party, I've rarely voted Labour, but in this ward, the Labour councillor up for election is the new leader Bob Johnson.  I think the Greens will have made inroads into Labour's majority here, they have been very proactive.  However, I am likely to vote Labour this time, because I believe we will see more real community engagement under his watch than there ever was under Ms Dore.   I'm prepared to be proved wrong, but if people really want to see changes in their community and the wider city, then they need to be involved.  

Your first sentence is right on the mark.

[Jeffrey Shaw 90]

On 19/04/2021 at 21:31, Thirsty Relic said:

I thought if you "opted out" of the publically available electoral roll and were ex-directory that meant you avoided this sort of thing.

 

 

No. There are two versions of the Electoral Roll.

You're correct on the edited version available for sale to anyone to copy.

The full version is available for anyone to read (not to copy) except that political parties are entitled to receive it.

Edited April 22, 2021 by Jeffrey Shaw

[El Cid 214]

1 hour ago, Jeffrey Shaw said:

No. There are two versions of the Electoral Roll.

You're correct on the edited version available for sale to anyone to copy.

The full version is available for anyone to read (not to copy) except that political parties are entitled to receive it.

192.com and Google seem to know all about us, not sure restricting the real electoral role makes any difference.

We should all be open and honest. Back before the last election, I notice my next door neighbour wasnt on it.

It can be usuefull for looking up peoples names, I am always forgetting names.

[Thirsty Relic 208]

1 hour ago, Jeffrey Shaw said:

No. There are two versions of the Electoral Roll.

You're correct on the edited version available for sale to anyone to copy.

The full version is available for anyone to read (not to copy) except that political parties are entitled to receive it.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

I'm still concerned that most of the political leaflets I get through my door have my name and address on them.  If they are been put through doors by volunteers leafletting an area - why have these details on?   Anyway, I always shred them, but many other people just bin them.  I've seen them occasionally littering the street - either carelessly discarded or fly-aways from bin lorries perhaps.  Leaflets with details like these are able to be used by criminals.  OK, so political parties can have the en-edited register, but why use them on leaflets that aren't even going to be sent via Royal Mail?

[RollingJ 1,999]

8 minutes ago, Thirsty Relic said:

Thanks for the clarification.

 

I'm still concerned that most of the political leaflets I get through my door have my name and address on them.  If they are been put through doors by volunteers leafletting an area - why have these details on?   Anyway, I always shred them, but many other people just bin them.  I've seen them occasionally littering the street - either carelessly discarded or fly-aways from bin lorries perhaps.  Leaflets with details like these are able to be used by criminals.  OK, so political parties can have the en-edited register, but why use them on leaflets that aren't even going to be sent via Royal Mail?

Good point - I can't see why they are needed either.

Edited April 22, 2021 by RollingJ
grammar!

[altus 538]

13 minutes ago, Thirsty Relic said:

Thanks for the clarification.

 

I'm still concerned that most of the political leaflets I get through my door have my name and address on them.  If they are been put through doors by volunteers leafletting an area - why have these details on?   Anyway, I always shred them, but many other people just bin them.  I've seen them occasionally littering the street - either carelessly discarded or fly-aways from bin lorries perhaps.  Leaflets with details like these are able to be used by criminals.  OK, so political parties can have the en-edited register, but why use them on leaflets that aren't even going to be sent via Royal Mail?

Because they think you getting a personally addressed mass produced letter is going to make you think they actually care about you giving you a warm and fuzzy feeling that will make you vote for them. The idea that you might consider it an invasion of privacy and put you off voting for them doesn't enter their heads.

[Stoatwobbler 10]

In addition to the City Council elections, PCC elections and referendum (has there actually been any sort of campaign for the existing "strong leader" model?) there are 4 Parish Council by elections in Ecclesfield following the disintegration of the group of "independent" councillors elected in 2019.

 

2 of the councillors who resigned are standing in the by-elections they caused and the literature from the 2 warring factions of independents seems focused on flinging mud at each other. One of said factions consists entirely of people involved with (and focused wholly on) Chapeltown market, which is a very unhealthy situation when you stop and think about all the other businesses and voluntary groups in the local area.  We don't need any branch of government, no matter how junior made subservient to the whims of one business. 

[Minimo 59]

Am I alone in wanting to know a little more about each of the local election candidates? It is not enough to know which party they represent, I want to know something of their suitability for the position. Do they live in their ward, what experience of work etc have they had, what have they done previously for their community?  Try as I might, I can find almost nothing on any of them . How can one make an informed decision with so little information?

[El Cid 214]

1 hour ago, Minimo said:

Am I alone in wanting to know a little more about each of the local election candidates? It is not enough to know which party they represent, I want to know something of their suitability for the position. Do they live in their ward, what experience of work etc have they had, what have they done previously for their community?  Try as I might, I can find almost nothing on any of them . How can one make an informed decision with so little information?

The candidates have similar values to their parties. You may find a candidate is reasonably honest, but that makes very little difference if their leader is a liar.

[Jeffrey Shaw 90]

Sadly, Jackie Weaver's not a candidate locally!

Edited April 23, 2021 by Jeffrey Shaw

[Baron99 778]

Reading about the upcoming local elections & see that the West Yorkshire regional mayor, (whoever that may be?), will absorb the powers of their Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) office, which will be scrapped. 

 

Down here in South Yorkshire of course, we continue to run two separate roles of mayor & PCC. 

 

 

Edited April 25, 2021 by Baron99

[Anna B 1,401]

On 23/04/2021 at 10:08, Minimo said:

Am I alone in wanting to know a little more about each of the local election candidates? It is not enough to know which party they represent, I want to know something of their suitability for the position. Do they live in their ward, what experience of work etc have they had, what have they done previously for their community?  Try as I might, I can find almost nothing on any of them . How can one make an informed decision with so little information?

I agree.

I have been banging on about having a proper CV for each candidate for ages but nothing changes. 

I'd also like to see a return to hustings and public debates. We are expected to give our vote to people without knowing  the first thing about them.